The Human War

THE HUMAN WAR Movie Is Getting Ready to FInally Be Released!!

2011-06-25T11:40:00.000-07:00

THE HUMAN WAR is getting ready to finally make it out into the world. We only have color correction and audio left to complete.

If you haven't seen our trailer, or gotten a tee shirt of the film yet, please visit our IndieGoGo campaign below.

Shoplifting Latest & THW Trailer Posted

2011-04-19T09:08:00.000-07:00

SHOPLIFTING FROM AMERICAN APPAREL is getting ready to be shot very shortly. Right now we’ve raised about 7K of the 10K we need. That means we still need help to get to our final goal on IndieGoGo. If you haven’t made a donation, viewed the updated trailer, or passed on the link to fellow indie film lovers, we need your help.

How can I help exactly?

Take a look at our trailer, order an advanced DVD or tee shirt, or share the following trailer link (here or directly below) on your Facebook page, Tumblr, etc. Any type of word of mouth from you will make a huge difference in bringing the film it into being.

Trailer Link: http://www.indiegogo.com/Shoplifting-from-American-Apparel-Movie

Someone said you might need actors in Hollywood? When will that be?

We might need extras and some speaking roles for a shoot on May 16th. We’re still working out details, but audition notices will be posted on the Sangha Films website and on the AMDA bulletin board.

What is the latest with THE HUMAN WAR?

We placed third in the Appalachia Film Festival. Right now Mark Parsia is currently putting the film through a second edit, and we will hit the film festival circuit in full force once we have a polished film.

Here is the trailer for THE HUMAN WAR.

You’ve gotten a lot of press for SHOPLIFTING?

That’s right. If you’d like to read the press the film has already generated, I’ve listed a bunch of interviews with various magazines that have already gone to print.

Nth Word Interview by Ryan O’Conner

Buzzlegoose Interview by Alexa Santoro

Indiewire Feature

Impose Magazine Interview by Josh Spilker

Bark Mentions SFAA by Amaris Ketcham

Thank you to everyone for your help in spreading the word these last couple months. This film wouldn’t be possible without all of you who have helped thus far.

Best,

Pirooz

SFAA Movie Fundraiser Surpasses $6K in Donations in a Week!

2011-03-30T06:03:00.001-07:00

The SHOPLIFTING (movie) fundraiser has now raised $6K in a week. That's incredible! We still have a ways to go though. We want to raise at least 20K to make the film in Los Angeles in June. If you want to get a tee shirt, the DVD, or other great merchandise, please visit and share the link below to make a donation and pass the word.

LINK: http://www.indiegogo.com/Shoplifting-from-American-Apparel-Movie

SFAA on Kickstarter?

2011-03-02T04:10:00.000-08:00

SHOPLIFTING FROM AMERICAN APPAREL trailer is now live on Kickstarter

LINK: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/322702815/shoplifting-from-american-apparel-movie

Appalachian FIlm Festival This Friday

2011-02-23T08:24:00.001-08:00

The Human War will be playing this Friday, Feb. 25 at the Keith Albee Theater, 825 4th Avenue, Huntington, WV at 8pm.

Final Audio Mix Commences!

2011-02-04T09:24:00.001-08:00

Panauh Kalayeh (yes, a brother) will be doing the final audio mix of THE HUMAN WAR. We are waiting on the vocal stylings of Jyoung-Ah Kim to be recorded and then we're off to the races. We will find out about Cleveland and Tribeca Film Festival by the end of March.

Steven Andrew has gotten up the new refurbished Sangha Films website (see below).

LINK: http://www.sanghafilms.com

Our First Festival!

2011-01-17T13:58:00.001-08:00

Dear Friends,

I hope things are going well for you in the New Year. We've had our first good news of the year. We got into Appalachian Film Festival today. Since many of you have helped this result come into being, we wanted you to be the first to know, and join us in following the progress of THW as the festival season continues. As it stands now, we've entered about 18 festivals, with plans to enter ten or so more. We find out about most other festivals in mid-March and April. Hopefully, Appalachian is a sign of more good tidings in the weeks to come. We have our fingers crossed that we will also be making Tribeca and others in March. : )

LINK: http://www.appyfilmfest.com/pages/media-center.htm

These last three weeks have been extremely busy. We are hustling to get websites updated and a trailer out for THE HUMAN WAR. It's just Tom and I at this point, so we're slow moving, but working hard. With a little luck, we will have a trailer link and refurbished website in the next couple weeks. I will try and keep updating our website with new festival info, so you can come to the one that are closest to you.

Thank you for your support and help to make the first leg of our festival journey start out well. We look forward to celebrating more good news in the coming months. Who knows? We might win one of these. ; )

Chat Soon,

Pirooz Kalayeh
Director/Producer, Sangha Films
http://www.sanghafilms.com

_________________________

MAKING DONATIONS, INVESTING, OR OFFERING A HELPING HAND

As it stands, we'll be finishing the final shots of our documentary on Zen master, Brad Warner in February. Our hope is to release the documentary next year. If you'd like to make an investment or donation to Brad Warner: The Enlightenizer, SFAA, THE HUMAN WAR, or any other Sangha Films project, I've put a link below. Any little bit helps. That means that even a dollar would be appreciated. We're not a big company, but we've got a lot of heart and some extraordinary film and television professionals who have donated their expertise, time, and energy to helping this little company come into being. We'd like to keep making film projects for many years to come. If you've enjoyed the journey, and would like to see us make more films, please donate, invest, or pass on this link through your e-mail and social media outlets.

For those of you want to help with any of the shoots, please respond to this e-mail and let me know what film you'd like to help with and how. At this point, we will be shooting in Akron and Solon, Ohio from 2/9 -2/13. Our next shoot will potentially by in Los Angeles from 6/6-6/20.

A Paypal Donation button is below. To make a donation just click the button and follow the directions on the screen. Any sized donation is welcome.

NOTE: If you do not have a Paypal account, you can make donations by clicking "Continue" in the middle of the page under the title heading "Don't Have a Paypal Account."
NOTE: If you do not have a Paypal account, you can make donations by clicking "Continue" in the middle of the page under the title heading "Don't Have a Paypal Account."

Thank you for helping our film come into being.

PK

Donate to Our Summer Feature

2011-01-12T13:12:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

We will be shooting the opening to our feature film, SHOPLIFTING FROM AMERICAN APPAREL from 2/9-2/13 in Akron and Solon, Ohio.

SHOPLIFTING FROM AMERICAN APPAREL is a feature film that explores Internet culture, consumerism, reality, fame, relationships, and cinema. The film is based on the novella by Tao Lin.

The idea is that creating a trailer will help us generate further donations through friends, family, and investors. (We will premiere the trailer on Kickstarter and other sites on March 1, 2011.)

At present, we need to raise $2,000 to make our trailer.

A Paypal Donation button is below. To make a donation just click the button and follow the directions on the screen. Any sized donation is welcome.

NOTE: If you do not have a Paypal account, you can make donations by clicking "Continue" in the middle of the page under the title heading "Don't Have a Paypal Account."

Please help our film come into being.

To see clips of our previous work please go here or here.

Best,

Pirooz Kalayeh
Director/Producer
http://www.sanghafilms.com
http://www.piroozkalayeh.com

Robert Kim Reviews Rough Cut of Film

2010-12-31T21:36:00.000-08:00

Robert Kim Reviews THE HUMAN WAR from Pirooz Kalayeh on Vimeo.

I spent New Year's night talking to my friend Robert Kim about what he thought of a screening of THE HUMAN WAR. I recorded him right after we finished watching a rough cut of the film on a video chat.

For the rest of you who would like to get a copy or see it at a festival near you, stay tuned! We will be making announcements here on this blog, via e-mail announcements, and on the Sangha Films website.

Brad Warner: The Enlightenizer - NYC Shoot

2010-12-23T10:57:00.000-08:00

We continued our shoot of Brad Warner: The Enlightenizer this past weekend in New York City. It was a really pleasant shoot. We talked about snake oil charmer spiritual salesmen, artistry and Zen, and favorite places to get french fries.

Our second day of shooting took place in Washington Square Park. Well, at least it started there. I wanted a backdrop of the city and Washington Square has always been one of my favorite places to sit alone when I've visited. I also like the "Arch de Triumphe" action. For me, the "Arch" immediately lets me know I'm in the city and that McDonald's golden arches would be much cooler if they looked like this.

Mark Parsia was our producer and camera operator this time around. We used a Panasonic HVX200 and a couple Senheiser wireless lavaliers. Theset-up was simple and easy. No lights were used since we were shooting outside. And, aside from lugging the equipment around the city and how cold it was, everything moved along effortlessly.

Grace Jung came out to help on both days. She even guested as an interviewer and drove Brad and I around as we listened to her John Lennon box set. That was a nice way to spend an afternoon. She only almost crashed twice.

Lancelot Bourne was visiting from South Korea for an art gallery show he had created. He called me the night before to see if he could come and help out. He needed some rest time between takes, but, of course, he was a rock star and made a very early morning shoot after being up all night on a flight.

On the second day, we walked around the city. It was bitter cold. We took a break at midday and went to a diner. Brad found this sign interesting.

"The 134 is painted," he said.

I like these kinds of signs, so I figured I'd take a picture. Maybe it could be a painting in the future.

We went to the East Village on the last day to mimic the Bob Dylan record on Jones Street. I took a pic. I don't know if I got the angle right. Hopefully, there a better pic out there.

Hmmm...I would say the documentary is turning out really good. We shoot in Akron in a month. I'm excited to rock it.

(The picture above is the new thinking man - Sohee in drag!)

Film Updates!

2010-11-24T10:59:00.000-08:00

THE HUMAN WAR

We are weeks away from a final cut of the film. We have submitted works in progress to several film festivals already, including Sundance, Slamdance, and Ashland Film Festival. We will be submitting to dozens of other festivals in the coming months.

A theatrical trailer and updated Sangha Films website with relevant content will be up by the end of December. We will have two premieres for the film in Ohio and NYC in March/April. We will have exact dates as the months come closer.

Chat more after Thanksgiving!

PK

Film Festivals Here We Come!

2010-09-23T07:53:00.001-07:00

We just finished a 24-hour session - well, more like three-week marathon and a 24-hour session - to get our still work-in-progress film of THE HUMAN WAR passable for a Sundance and Slamdance submission.

Tom and I were chatting on SKYPE and iChat until about 4 a.m. my time. I am not sure what happened after that. I remember putting together a rough press kit and dragging the Adobe Illustrator file to an e-mail. The rest is a bit of a mystery.

I am now here on my living room floor. It is 6:41 a.m.. I feel a sense of elation. I am excited to see what will come of the final edits (including a new ending!) in the coming month as we prepare to go to color correction and an audio mix - the final stages for a feature film.

At this point, I would like to give a special shout out to Gabriel Cassia, our Editor, who sat with me for 11 hours straight yesterday, and did the same a day before with Tom. We truly appreciate your hard work, willingness to sing songs with your three-word Persian vocabulary (in an Italian accent), and bring such a strong ending ("Goodbye Mickey Mouse!") and moody pacing to a film that would only come from such a unique and talented human being.

I would also like to thank Daniel Brothers, our Post Production Supervisor, who not only helped edit when we had no editor, and then helped again while Gabriel was working Fashion Week, but also for all the hard work downloading the huge files, setting up an FTP site and all the other 1,001 roles besides his own during the pre-production, production, and post-production of this film. (Tom only told me how fantastic you were before I met you two years ago. Now as our work on this first feature is coming to a close, I can truly say I am glad to see the brilliance Tom spoke of, and bear witness as you embark on your first feature.) Thank you for your hard work, generosity, and creative spirit.

Another expression of gratitude goes out to Sonny Mishra, our Composer, who was willing to put up with Tom and I as we jumped back and forth between different song choices. You were able to point us towards a possibility, and guide us gently. That gift, along with all the amazing material you have given this film, has made working with you a true joy. Thank you for the encouragement, patience, and hard work. We look forward to the sonic palette you will create on the next film.

It is a little early for Tom and I to thank everyone in the world. We still have a couple months to go before we're officially done. In two months time, we anticipate a unique film that will reflect the wit, terror, melancholy, and bewilderment at play on the day of March 20, 2003 when the Iraq War was declared and Noah Cicero's fantastic novella began. We are under no illusions about the competitive nature of the film festival circuit, and we understand that chances our slim to major festivals, but we are both happy to have had this opportunity to work with so many talented people, succeed and fail at bringing our visions forward, and watch as our ideas become reality.

Now I will try and sleep a bit. Who knows? I might just watch the 20th version of our movie.

Fake Radio Show for Film

2010-08-30T14:50:00.000-07:00

Arranging a fake radio show for THE HUMAN WAR. Anyone want to be a fake radio caller to the program and give your opinion on the impending war on March 23, 2003. You'd have to be time sensitive. Just email me at piroozkalayeh[at]gmail.com.

Latest Human War Update!

2010-08-19T17:51:00.000-07:00

(James Roehl walks across deserted street in Manhattan)

Some people have been asking for an update, so here's the nitty-gritty. As it stands now, we're rushing to finish a final edit for Sundance submissions in September. If luck will have it, we'll be premiering at the festival this January. Keep your fingers crossed!

In other news, we're hard at work finalizing a final movie poster with comic book artist Jeffrey Brown. Once we have a final version, I'll be sure to give you the first sneak peak.

Stay tuned for photos from New York.

Noah Cicero's Interview on Bookslut

2010-06-08T22:28:00.000-07:00

Noah Cicero has an interview on Bookslut. He mentions being weirded out by the movie process and getting lost in New York. His new book, The Insurgent, is out now.

Final Shots Completed for Second Unit

2010-04-26T00:32:00.000-07:00

For those of you who didn't know, Sangha Films did come through Youngstown to get some additional shots for THE HUMAN WAR. Thomas Henwood, who manned a small crew consisting of himself, Josh Silfen (2nd Unit Director of Photography), and Steven Andrew (MVP All Star), captured the final images to complete the film at the end of March, 2010 in Youngstown.

Bringing back the two stars of the film, Henwood re-shot several dialogue sequences between Keith McAleer (JIMMY) and James Roehl (MARK). The first took place in an abandoned alley downtown. Henwood couldn't resist the location once he saw the tag, "Dumpster Diver for Fun!"

Not to be confused with a one-man-band, we here at Sangha Films like to consider this pic, the old man and the audio sea, if you will.

James Roehl (MARK) and Keith McAleer (JIMMY) did more walking than skating in this sequence, so we could capture this gorgeous shot of them making their way down the train tracks close to town. This is probably one of our favorite scenes in the film. It's a special moment when we get to have characters walk and talk about crossroads at the same time.

After a few days in Youngstown, it was off to New York City for our final shots in Manhattan. It was difficult to get James Roehl (MARK) all alone so close to Ground Zero, but we did manage to get a few key shots for the film.

Is it even possible to have no people downtown? Sometimes we at Sangha Films think there are unknown forces helping bring some of our cinematic moments to life. You might call it the Flying Spaghetti Monster. We call it prepping to say action, running a small crew, and getting help blocking the on-rush of people who are waiting around the corner.

Sangha Films will be posting a new website in the coming months to get ready for our eventual release of THE HUMAN WAR. As it stands now, there is still a lot of editing and sound mixing to do. If you're hoping for a teaser trailer, then keep your fingers crossed for the middle of summer. Who knows? We just might keep ahead of schedule.

Talk Has Started

2010-03-17T14:37:00.000-07:00

The Village Voice has called us "scrappy." They describe the possible film of Shoplifting as "great" and like a dose of "methadone and Wellbutrin."

Funding & Latest News

2010-03-14T17:35:00.001-07:00

(Tom Henwood previews assembly footage via video chat of a scene from The Human War, featuring Gil Mantera's Party Dream)

Latest Update: The film is being edited as we speak. Tom and I are doing meetings and watching assembly footage, while I'm here trying to raise funds and tie loose ends in South Korea.

Youngstown Visit: Tom will be arriving on March 18th with a small crew to get the last couple shots of the film. If you are willing to offer help or intern for the day, please e-mail th@sanghafilms.com.

20K More To Go: I am busy trying to come up with inventive ways to raise finishing funds for our enterprise. We are so close now, but we've got to come up with money quickly. If you're interested in helping us raise the final 20k we need to complete the film, please make a donation however small to the donation button below.

$100 from 100 Friends: My hope is to get $100 from 100 friends. That would be the easiest way to indie film paradise at the moment. If you've got a bit of cash, please pay it forward. Please also be sure to save your paypal confirmation, as you can write off this donation on your taxes.

Other News: Sangha Films is proud to announce that the next feature slated for filming in 2012 will be Tao Lin's "Shoplifting from American Apparel." Of course, we will chat more about the second film shortly. Now we're busy with getting THE HUMAN WAR ready for next year's premiere.

Please help our movie come into being.

THE HUMAN WAR.

Donate (Click Here)

Human War on IMDB

2010-01-25T07:22:00.000-08:00

The Human War has its own IMDB page now.

Geoffrey Hauschild Photos

2010-01-13T09:24:00.000-08:00

Geoffrey Hauschild sent some more photos of the shoot. He is such a talented photographer. I'll just let his photos speak for themselves.

Last Day's Photographs

2010-01-01T10:10:00.000-08:00

Gaoffery Hauschild was kind enough to take and send some pics from the last day of shooting. Here are some of his gorgeous photographs.

Update: The film is currently being synced for editing. It looks like March will be the official month for shooting B-Roll.

The Human War Movie: Last Days

2009-12-23T12:27:00.000-08:00

My last night in Ohio Avenue was spent on the floor just like I began 44 days ago.

James and I spent the whole day yesterday cleaning. He rocked a shitload of dishes. I was on chachkie duty.

We filmed the potato guns firing in Cortland at Keith McAleer's house. This is one of his sweet puppies with James Roehl. I am pretty sure both were sleeping as I took this picture. I would like to join them when I get on the plane in a couple hours.

Tom and I are pretty ragged in this photo. All I remember is that it was a cold day to stand out in the snow shooting potatoes.

Tom and I constructed a mini-set for JIMMY'S POTATO GUN ASSEMBLY VIDEO. I laid out a bunch of random things on the table, including cereal, spoon, saw, hammer, PVC piping, jigsaw, stapler, and a deck of cards. It looks like Tom added donuts to the mix as well. I see a sprinkled one in the picture above.

Lizzie helped me paint the backdrop for JIMMY VISION. It is probably one of my favorite pieces that I got to do.

(Lizzie did the Campbell's soup can. There was no way I could draw that well.)

Keith McAleer and Thomas Henwood check out his performance on the EX1.

Our last day of principal photography was filled with little rubies here and there. Jared Greene offered the first jewel by pointing out how light readings were identified on the monitor.

Eugene was a little grease monkey! He really put the Chevy Celebrity back into shape. I couldn't help but laugh as he pulled out a tube from the engine and said, "Um...I'm pretty sure this is supposed to be attached to something."

He was right. By the time I got to see under the hood later in the day, I was more than impressed by the sheer number of zip ties that had been amassed to hold the various degenerating tubes and instruments in place.

"Looks like Frankenstein," I said.

"Yup," James agreed. "Car of Frankenstein."

Joanie Walkoff holds up the tee shirt that Lizzie painted. Talk about amazing? I can't wait for Lizzie to give me my tattoo when I come back to Youngstown for the premiere. I think I'll get all my tattoos from her from now on.

Press for Film and Wrapping Principal Photography

2009-12-21T10:15:00.000-08:00

We made Sunday's cover in The Vindicator! Elise Franco wrote a great article. They included five of Geoff Hauschild's amazing photos.

We are now busy cleaning up. We will be back in town in March to shoot some B-roll of the city. I'll put updates here as things move along in the editing room and with distribution.

Stan Boney will be interviewing Noah Cicero about his book and the film on ABC's WYTV channel 33 on Tuesday night.

PK

Days 18-21: Chevy Celebrity Coughs Blood

2009-12-20T06:53:00.001-08:00

Uncle Pooch helps us contemplate how badly the Chevy is doing.

"You either got a bad battery or alternator," he nodded to me.

"Yeah," I agreed.

"You probably got a lot more things wrong in this pile a heap too."

"Yeah."

"Well, we might as well get a battery off that Mac in the back. Just make sure you get it back to me."

"That's nice of you, Pooch."

"Well...you want some more?" Pooch holds out a pouch of Redman.

"Okay," I say.

"You ain't getting dizzy yet."

"It's starting to get to me."

Pooch smiles and puts the pouch in his back pocket. I follow two steps behind him.

The Chevy Celebrity stalled nine times on the way to our location in Cortland. At one point, Todd Maki simply rolled down the backroads in reverse because I had to pop the car into drive without stopping to get the thing going.

I have a video of this Matrix-like maneuver. Apparently, they filmed me behind the wheel as well. I was even given a tuba soundtrack with the jokesters put-put-putting the car's sad state in an A cappella fashion: "Bum ba bum Ba bum Ba Bum..."

After the sixth stall on the highway, Todd expressed all our sentiments.

An organic POV of the machine in action. I will have the EUROSPORT insignia forever tattooed in my mind, as I repeatedly tried to honk the horn that did not work on this dinosaur of automobiles.

Days 14-18: Filming at the Oaks and Plaza Donuts

2009-12-18T02:30:00.000-08:00

We shot at Plaza Donuts on Belmont today. Here is some of the team: TJ Hellmuth (DP), Thomas Henwood (Co-Director), Kene Holliday (ELIJAH), yours truly, and James Roehl (MARK SWIFT).

Kene gave James some good advice about acting: "Take care of your body and it'll treat you well."

Yesterday we finished up at the Royal Oaks bar. Here is a shot of Joanie Wolkoff (KENDRA) and James Roehl (MARK) hamming it up between takes.

It was definitely a long three days. I heard people talking about how pale I looked. The third week of a production is probably not the best time to do interviews, but I took my funny mustache and pale frame in front of cameras for The Vindicator and 21 WMFJ.

Noah Cicero did much better in the interviews and you can watch out for him on a couple other stations throughout the week.

I finally got to direct a bit more at the Oaks. Since I've been needed on the producer side of things for a majority of locations, it is definitely a treat when Tom and I can switch roles and rock out. That was literally the case when we went through the Open Mic sequence at Crapiokie.

Luckily for us, Youngstown has an incredible talent pool. I don't think there was one bad performance in the bunch. We had a roller skater, some poetry, a freestyler (our own John Vinson), and a special guest appearance from the vocalist of Gil Mantera's Party Dream.

Richie is an amazing performer. I could even see him acting in films if he wanted. He is a natural.

Noah and Kene were two peas in a pod. It was good to see them laughing together outside Plaza Donuts.

Kene directed me before we started the day yesterday. "Get a picture of this for my wife," he told me. "Yeah," he continued. "Get in front of the car. Right there! Yes! Yes! Okay. Now you keep doing what you do. Spread that around. Okay! Ready? How does that look? Oh, you got the trees in there and everything! Look at that! That's what I'm talking about."

We had Kene move through the forests to represent his characters interest in natural scenery over a life with human beings. I watched Kene come alive in each take - even taking a tree branch as a prop and extending the branches through his fingers to check the blossoms like he had been living in the woods for his entire life. Kene is definitely an amazing talent. It was a pleasure to see him work and offer bits of wisdom throughout the day.

My favorite moment was when one war veteran at Plaza Donuts heard Kene's performance and told him he agreed with that character's thoughts on war.

"You know," the spectator said. "I fought in Vietnam and I agree with everything you're saying."

"Well," Kene replied with a knowing wink to me, "That's why we're making the movie."

Here is Richie from Gil Mantera's Party Dream letting loose in a spontaneous improv that ended with him asking the audience to embrace the future; "It's only two minutes from now!"

James Roehl has offered the world an incredible performance. I am very excited for his career and the work he will do with each subsequent film in his career.

"You're going to do fine," Kene agreed with me last night at dinner. "Yes, you are going to do very well."

"Thank you," James said in his natural humble way.

I looked at Tom. It was a proud moment. We had started this journey a year and a half ago. It had taken us hours and hours of work. Now with one actor's career being anointed by another, we could see one of the many proud moments of directing an independent film.

I could keep doing this my entire life.

Days 11-13: The Human War Gets Mustaches and Learns How to Kick Flip

2009-12-13T09:48:00.001-08:00

We shot the skateboard scene today. Basically, JIMMY (Keith McAleer) explains how to make a potato gun to a riveted audience. Then thy rush off to make good on a "big explosion."

Everyone did a great job in the cold and still hitting their tricks. Joel (pictured above) didn't miss one kick flip all day.

To celebrate we sang Nirvana'a "Come As You Are" together lounge style.

I am pretty sure this is Kyle rocking the ramp.

TJ and Tom roll up handheld, while Tyree skates down to the ramp.

Stephen Andrew (ELLIS) has been helping us with behind-the-scenes footage, acting, and pretty much everything you could imagine. It is hard to imagine this film happening without him. It is also pretty "fortuitous" that he just happened to be our upstairs neighbor. I would have never guessed when I knocked on the door that I would find a poly-artists Van Gogh, or that I would have a friend for life.

The first time I met Jenna I think I scared her off by being gruff and generally disagreeable. Then we both found out that that was just a day in Neverland. Having been hired to do Make-up, Jenna has shelped in every capacity of this film. I am impressed by her energy, strength, and overall professionalism. I have no doubt she will accomplish anything she sets out to do. Hopefully, we will get to work on another film together in the future.

I was told to get picks of the actors in domestic bliss to put into picture frames on the set. Luckily, I managed to get some instant family moments because the actors were so agreeable and easy to direct.

"...Pretend you're nagging him about something..."

"Um...look at the TV. Don't look at the camera. Now put your hand on his knee. There. Okay. That looks good..."

To share in our family atmosphere on this film, Jarrid Green, head of our lighting crew, suggested we all have mustaches. Everyone looks pretty good with them. When we show up on location, most people don't notice until we say something about it.

The inspiration for my mostache was Inigo Montoya from THE PRINCESS BRIDE. When I saw Jarrid after shaving, my first words were, "You kill my father. Prepare to die."

I like the mustache. I think I could rock one for my whole life.

THW Day 10: Filming in JIMMY'S ART STUDIO

2009-12-09T19:24:00.000-08:00

We've had folks from all over the place come visit and go. Each leaves us a message and a bit of themselves into the film. Here is one from Elise (I hope Vassar is treating you well, Elise. You could always bail on finals and come back. ; )

Here is a shot of Jimmy's art studio from the monitor. I had the idea to paint the tire before shooting began. This is my favorite piece thus far. Originally, I wrote "Viva La..." and then I changed it to "Viva Ohio!" I think that fit the scene a bit better.

I really like this chair. It's completely covered with mice and text. I used a poem I wrote when I was 23. It works for the piece.

Viva Ohio!

I let this thing drip into being. Tom didn't want me to paint on the other side, since I already did another painting for another scene on the other side, so I just dripped paint on the reverse and used paper towels as brushes to makes a piece in under five minutes. It's not much, but it's a whole lot something at the same time. Where is Che now?

I really like "Mammy, Mama." I think it says all the write things for a sex-obsessed teenager. I also like the Freudian undertones. It makes me feel like a rock star too. And, yes, you can plug this in and it shakes.

I painted over another painting for this one. I think it looks better than the other one that was there. But, at the same time, that other one was good too.

Day 7 of THE HUMAN WAR MOVIE

2009-12-06T13:04:00.001-08:00

We shot the skateboarder scene last night. It was pretty funny. The kids are supposed to have learned how to shoot a potato gun from one of the main characters, and then they bomb him with a bunch later on. In order to get the shot, Tom and I had to run around with them all over the set.

The kids were great. I was especially impressed when Cole (age 11) helped us out by calling "Action!" on every other take.

Earlier in the day, we shot on the process trailer again. We got this fabulous light for JIMMY'S response to MARK's thought of protest. It was really beautiful.

James Roehl (MARK) posed for me, while we rushed off for a bathroom break in the middle of the day. I took this picture and all I could think was "James Dean" over and over in my head.

Here is Todd Mackie, our audio technician, trying to stay warm and get in on the action simultaneously.

TJ Hellmuth, our Director of Photography, sizes up the one shot of the driver. He has taught me so much about framing and light in this past week. I look forward to more talks about Iranian cinema, life in production, and how to "Get the photograph!" in the coming week.

Day 6 of THE HUMAN WAR MOVIE

2009-12-05T06:34:00.000-08:00

Here we are driving through a parking lot with the process trailer. It was rigged out magnificently. I was huddled in the truck between TJ and Tom. We had a monitor in front of us, while the actors were in the picture car. Tom directed them with a walkie talkie. I got on there for a bit too. I had them do a freestyle and argue a bit. That's all I could think of doing. I got a bit burnt out by the end of the day. I'm going to have pace my mind like a long distance runner.

Keith McAleer (JIMMY) poses here with yours truly. We had to have little pow-wows like a boxer in a ring. At one point, James Roehler put on one of his freestyle records and we went at it to give the guy energy. Then we called out the actors names like they were entering a ring. It was pretty hip if you ask me. Hopefully, it gave them a boost. Who knows? Another idea. I kind of like it. The actor as boxer.

Tom Henwood really wanted to set dress JIMMY'S APT. He wanted me to paint everything. All I could come up with in five minutes for these statues was to cut a plastic cup with a knife and use our makeup artist's cotton balls to make pseudo headphones. I thought that was an interesting idea. I don't know if I executed it that well, but it was a good idea with limited tools and a five minute window.

I did the painting (above) last week. I came up with a mice and Osama the cat theme. Every once in a while I would throw in the World Trade Center or Atom bomb. I think it works for the set. Tom seems to like them a lot. He even wants to sell these pieces to help fund the film. That's not a bad idea. My uncle is opening a store in King of Prussia. I might put them in his gallery or sell them on eBay.

Another painting with the Osama and Mice theme. I joked that it was my version of "Mice and Men."

Keith started the process of filling the set with his books and random objects. Tom brought in several other elements. We all had a nice chat about how to create shadow, layers, and eliminate negative space to make an image more visually stimulating. Once Tom started discussing set dressing in analogous painting jargon, I could see how layering would add dimension and interest for the viewer.

Tom was worried about this sculpted head being copyrighted, so I flipped it around, put a hat on it, and drew a penis face.

On the Huck Finn paintings above it, I simply drew large penises and made them discuss sexual exploits. This seemed to match the exuberant and slightly addictive personality of JIMMY. I don't know if we will actually see these paintings in detail, but they are interesting for me. I like this idea of painting as a character in a film or book and not myself. It makes the leap into what is good or bad superfluous to what needs to be accomplished according to the needs of the character.

More Huck Finn tagging (above).

This was one of my first in Osama and Mice series. I had orginally drawn the gun, but a real one seemed like a good way to go when Keith brought one from his house. I had it nailed to the wall the instant I had a hammer and some free timer on my hands.

When Tom heard I nailed it to the wall, he freaked a bit. I told him not to worry though. We could spackle it up. We'll see if that's true.

John Vincent who is part of our lighting crew seemed taken aback when I took this photo. "I'm not used to that," he explained. "I'm more used to getting out of the way."

TJ, Jarrid, and Derek eye up the next shot.

Noah came to visit today. He mentioned that people might not believe that we are making a movie of his book, so I suggested getting a pic to prove it to the world. Here it is.

Tom Henwood Sr., Jarrid, and John Vincent were so proud of their rigging of the picture car on the process trailer, they were all about getting a pic in front of their handiwork. I snuck in simply because I was proud of them as well. The lighting we got was fantastic.

A solo pic of the dynamic duo at work.

Day 5 of Filming THE HUMAN WAR

2009-12-04T04:34:00.001-08:00

Keith McAleer prepared a fantastic monologue written by yours truly. Of course, it was his performance that made the words dance. In all honesty, I didn't even know if this piece would work. It works with a great actor like him though.

Jarrid made me laugh continuosly on set yesterday. He kept singing the Alladin theme song. He was like Broadway. It was sick. Tomorrow I've already put in a request for C & C Music Factory.

James Roehl is too cool for school. Our generation's James Dean. He poses here on our set for JIMMY'S apartment. The creamsicle painting above his head was done in under three minutes. James painted the one above that one himself. He's a talented guy. Oh, and he can freestyle too.
We've been doing some freestyles between takes. That makes take 8 and 10, so much easier.

Steven Andrew is the master of minimalism for his role of ELLIS. He did an improv yesterday that made everyone on set start crying. I actually looked at our boom operator, Dennis, and tears were streaming down his face. Basically, Steven was supposed to be macking on a pretty goth girl (see below). I told him to roll with it. When he started saying things like, "Hi...um...I like Nirvana..." in this cute whisper between eating a burrito and nervously glancing at her on the sofa, I didn't know whether to cry or laugh, so I did both.

Tom has been the master of many hats. My partner-in-arms has done a fantastic job directing. He has a meticulous eye and a gift for guiding actors with physical movements to communicate emotion. It has been a great learning experience to watch him guide an actor with eyebrow arches rather than emotional context.

Jackie (above) is our script supervisor. She came all the way from NYC to have an "experience." I am looking forward to reading her screenplays. Who knows? We might be directing one of her pictures next.

Kristi Spapara was a diamond in the rough. When she auditioned at YSU, I knew immediately that I had found a pretty amazing talent. She didn't even flinch when I told her to devour an actor with her eyes. She communicated anything that was asked. I suppose that's why I love actors with musical backgrounds - she plays a few different instruments as a music major at YSU. Some of my favorite moments on set have been playing guitar with her amazing flute solos. She can even play melodies I sing almost instantaneously. That's a pretty amazing talent. I wish I was that good at an instrument. I felt like Jimmy Page and Robert Plant for a second.

The lighting was really extraordinary in the apartment. In fact, it was so good we are going to shoot their again this morning, instead of breaking down for the process trailer.

My favorite part of this set is the carpet.

I will update more in a couple hours. I need some sleep.

Shooting THE HUMAN WAR MOVIE: Day Three!

2009-12-03T04:06:00.001-08:00

The movie is going well. Today we did the skateboarders scene at Uptown Pizza. The kids were pretty great. I also appreciate all the parents being so patient with us. I think we have the perfect bunch of kids to skate and hang with Jimmy.

Keith and James did a fantastic job discussing how war is eminent in this scene. We covered the footage from four different angles, lit it to match a consistent daylight, and prayed that the door wouldn't open too wide to reveal the rainy streets.

I think Todd might be the quietest audio guy I've ever heard. He is also one of the best.

John Vincent and Jarrid were "hollywooding" everything. As they said, "We can do this all day!"
I certainly couldn't. I jumped outside the pizza shop to help prevent the wind from shaking the filter, but I don't think I could have done it for a second longer. My arms were feeling the burn after a few minutes.

Eugene is one of my favorite AC's. He is professional, compassionate, and has great facial expressions. This one above is just one of many that I have had the pleasure of witnessing.
We are now into Day 4 of our shoot. It is raining again, so we will be shooting at the house. I am excited. I am also a bit nervous. I am expected to paint more paintings earlier and faster than expected. Yesterday, I made three paintings in 17 minutes. It definitely takes a lot out of me. Add to that a poor sleep schedule, constant phone calls, and a professor who still teaches classes online, and you have a tired guy.
I may just try and take a nap when we wrap today. I might not even wake up until tomorrow.

First Day of Shooting

2009-11-30T10:25:00.001-08:00

Filming Begins!

2009-11-29T22:02:00.001-08:00

We start shooting the movie today.

Yesterday's Adventure Shooting Legs & Finding a Caterer

2009-11-25T07:37:00.000-08:00

We shot JIMMY'S art movie last night. "It's just of women's legs." It was funny.

Todd showed me his studio. He's our official audio guy for the film.

I did rehearsal today with James and Keith. First we ran a couple miles and did push-ups. They love push-ups.

Brian Palumbo and the folks at Selah will be the official caterers for The Human War Movie. I enjoyed an amazing turkey melt there today.

Building an Art Studio for the Film

2009-11-22T08:32:00.001-08:00

We have been working this weekend into making JIMMY'S APT look like a legitimate artist's pad for the film. It's been a lot of work. Luckily, we've had help from the actors themselves. Keith McAleer (JIMMY) and James Roehl (MARK) have given their all to make original pieces for the set. You could even call it a painting party. Everyone contributed a little bit to the pieces.

Here is Keith (JIMMY) saying what is what. I am not sure what James (MARK) thinks of his orders.

Are these kids ready to be movie stars? Could be...

Day 8 of Pre-Production

2009-11-18T22:51:00.000-08:00

We did some more B Roll today. We got a shot of some smokestacks, visted some check cashing stores, and then met up with our two lead actors.
Tomorrow I rehearse with actors all day, while TJ and Tom will discuss the shot list. I need to be like a marine. I wake up at 7 a.m.. I probably won't stop until 9 p.m..

The Latest

2009-11-18T04:38:00.001-08:00

We got our first shot of the film yesterday. We were scouting locations with TJ Hellmuth, our Director of Photography, when he yelped while looking out the window, "Birds in flight!!"

I looked out the van and saw thousands of birds swarming in the trees and sky. We had about a half hour left of sunlight, but we managed to get the Red camera setup and ready for some hand-held shots. Then, after the birds stopped swarming, I ran along the highway screaming and hooting like Old Yeller to let the whole multitude of Hitchcockian elegance descend over highway 680. It was quite a sight. What do you think? Movie opening or closing?

This past Saturday was John Kennedy's birthday. He celebrated in style at his bar, The Royal Oaks. I got this picture of him dancing to "Pabst Blue Ribbon," an original by a local band in the area.
This last element is a "Blowmeo." We needed to get some artwork for one of the characters, so I've started collecting old vintage paintings and tagging them with a character known as Blowmeo.

Basically, I wanted to create something that an actor could imitate. We're going to have to hit a few dozen more paintings. I'll show you the full studio when we're done.

Make a Donation to the Movie

2009-11-17T08:51:00.001-08:00

Donations are being accepted for THE HUMAN WAR. Help spread a little movie magic this holiday season.

Rehearsals in Youngstown

2009-11-14T15:13:00.001-08:00

I am in Yongstown in an empty apartment. For the past couple days it's been just me and Keith McAleer (actor pictured above). We've been rehearsing day and night.

Tonight we are doing a sleep over rehearsal party. We're running lines and working on his character development.

Keith is very dedicated. I like actors who are willing to give 110%.

Pre-production Begins!

2009-11-11T05:41:00.001-08:00

It is now 6:41 a.m. I will be flying into Youngstown today to start pre-production on THE HUMAN WAR.

I am a bit tired. I decided to take a picture of my tired self. I am sure I'll look different at the end of this film.

If you are in the Ohio are and want to chat about helping on the film, come see us tomorrow at the YSU's Kilway (Student) Center. We will be there from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on November 12, 2009.

Casting Flier

2009-11-08T08:15:00.001-08:00

Re: Local Auditions for Independent Film Feature,The Human War

Film Label: Sangha Films

Casting Date: November 12, 2009

Time: 11-3pm

Casting Location: YSU's KILCAWLEY CENTER (THE STUDENT CENTER)

Synopsis: On the eve of the Iraq War, teenager Mark Swift dreams of escape from the realities of his lower-class existence in Youngstown, Ohio, and the fear and bewilderment of a society at war.

LOCAL FILM AUDITION/SIGN-UP Thursday, 11/12/09

Call for non-professional actors!! Everyone is welcome to audition for speaking and background roles!!

Audition Format:

Cold reading: Script "sides" will be provided to actors on arrival to the information booth. Interested individuals will have a short time to read their lines and prepare. Actors will read their role from the prepared script with a casting associate.

If interested in auditioning, please come to YSU's KILCAWLEY CENTER (THE STUDENT CENTER) between 11am-3pm on Thursday, November 12th.

Email: th@sanghafilms.com

Web: http://www.sanghafilms.com

Local Auditions at YSU (Student Union)

2009-11-08T04:00:00.000-08:00

CASTING--Independent Film!!

FILM AUDITIONS

Sign-up on Thursday at the YSU Cafeteria/Student Union

YSU's KILCAWLEY CENTER (THE STUDENT CENTER)

11AM-3PM

Thursday, November 12^th

Ready or Not?

2009-10-21T21:20:00.000-07:00

Dear Human War and Independent Film Supporters:

The producers of THE HUMAN WAR are prepping for a November 30th - December 20th shoot in Youngstown, Ohio. As such, we are looking to secure some final elements before our production is under way.

If any of you have leads on any of the following items in the Youngstown area, please forward this email or respond in kind with relevant contact information:

LODGING & CAR

Lodging - Furnished home for rent in Youngstown with 4-7 rooms (more, the better) from 11/01/09 - 12/20/09

· Trailer Park rental

· Used Car Rental – insured and for the month; beat up or simply older than 1990.

MUSIC

We are hoping to piece together a soundtrack for the film with both national and local bands. If you have music you’d like to submit for consideration in the film, please send an MP3 to pk@sanghafilms.com.

EXTRAS NEEDED

We will be doing another local casting in Youngstown in early November. Those of you who are interested in being extras or auditioning for small bit parts, please respond or forward this e-mail in kind to th@sanghafilms.com.

Stop Off in Boulder

2009-09-14T11:18:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends:

Sohee and I are officially moved into our new apartment. I have put the address below. I will have Internet and the rest within the next couple days.

We will be in Boulder for the next 10 months - a nice place to hike the mountains, study, read, write, and paint.

As far as the film, it looks like we'll be shooting in Ohio in December or March. Aside from that, we'll be waiting on PhD programs and the rest. Then we'll be onto the next Place, Somewhere.

I will be traveling to Los Angeles, NYC, and Ohio every few months or so. If you wanted to get together on one of these adventures, let me know.

Best,

PK

ADDRESS:

3200 CARBON PLACE, 202
BOULDER, CO 80301

The Human War: Film Update

2009-07-17T10:23:00.001-07:00

(Above: Noah Cicero, New York City, 2009)

We're finally becoming good salesmen! Who knows? It's either that, or we're suddenly hot right now. I have no idea. In either case, investors are definitely showing interest in funding THE HUMAN WAR movie. That means, I'll be heading to L.A. in August. We'll probably shoot as early as December 2009, or rock it in April 2010. It really depends on how fast we get people aboard this train.

And it's moving fast! I didn't expect to have everything to come together so soon, but I just kept pushing past doubts and throwing out lines. I guess that's been the secret.

I'm just so thankful that this film will get made. It's going to rock in the future. I can see it. It's in a little cradle. It's being kept warm and clean. The mobile is twirling. There we all are. Proud parents: Noah, Thomas, and I.

Moving to Youngstown for Six Months???

2009-07-01T14:07:00.001-07:00

It looks like Sogee and I will be moving to Youngstown in August. I'm still talking it over with everyone involved, but this seems like a positive choice to bring budget costs down for the film and get things moving on every front.

Speaking of costs, we're still trying to raise 50,000 more dollars for the film. Right now we have openings for investors at the 2-5k level. Have you got an extra 2k in the bank? Would you like to invest in a film with heart? Would you like to root for the underdog? Give me a call and become part of the family.

(310) 779-0469

We're bringing everyone in on this project. Now we just need a couple more investors to bring this thing to life. So do me a favor, if you don't have 2k, but you got a $100, then consider offering a donation. We could use all the help. Truly.

Youngstown Presentation Goes Well!

2009-06-07T01:28:00.001-07:00

I met with Noah Cicero on Thursday. We talked for a bit. Then we headed to the Royal Oaks for our PowerPoint presentation to the Youngstown community about THE HUMAN WAR MOVIE.

I gave a brief overview of the film. Then I talked about the film's progress into a beautiful butterfly.

Noah said I did a good job. I hope so. I really care about this project. I can totally tell because I keep making trips to Ohio and New York City, and spend all my free time thinking about how I could be a more efficient filmmaker. I guess I'm obsessed.

I guess that's what makes someone an artist. You have to be obsessed enough that you care about something beyond materialistic rewards. Who knows? Maybe, just maybe, you even love it.

I don't know if I love filmmaking. I think I just like making. I like visiting towns and getting to know everyone. I like building friendships and being with other human beings. I don't know why. Maybe, I'm just not opposed to things working. I mean, I can see obstacles before me. I can see that I have to raise more money for the film. I can totally see a hard decision with choosing the right actors. At the same time, I'm not upset about it. There just isn't any reason to be. It'll be what it is. I'll do my best.

Who knows? maybe, it's just what the doctor ordered.

OVERVIEW OF POSSIBLE SHOOTING LOCATIONS, The Human War

2009-06-03T18:59:00.000-07:00

YOUNGSTOWN (THW) June 3, 2009

I found a few good places today -- thanks to Laura Phillips (pictured above). I've attached photos at the Flickr link below.

YTown, June 2009, Location...

Laura has volunteered her deli as a possible interior kitchen location. She is also planning on helping out with police cruisers and officers (both her and her husband are former officers) free of charge.

For the exterior of the kitchen, I was thinking of using Our Place, Family Restaurant, which has gone bankrupt. According to Laura, we could contact the bank, and potentially...

...use the back as exterior shots for when Mark leaves the restaurant, and for a potential shot where the police officers are inspecting the crimes against Carl and Louis.

As far as the pizzeria, there were several possibilities. I personally liked Inner Circle Pizza and Ianazone's Pizza. Both locations have check cashing stores close by.

Roosevelt Park is a cool place where kids skate. They usually put down the picnic tables and use them to ollie off onto other curbs and benches. Laura says there are gangs of kids who hang out there.

Stomping Grounds is another skate shop located in a strip mall. I will be visiting there tomorrow night, so we'll have to see what that place has to offer. Right now I only have external shots.

We went to two trailer parks today. State Line Mobile Parks was by far the grittier one. We took several pics of vacant homes. According to Laura, we could potentially rent an empty trailer for $100/week.

I will be presenting a bit about THW at the informal community meeting at the Royal Oaks tomorrow with author, Noah Cicero at 8 p.m. I have no idea if people will show up. I'll send pics and an update soon. : )

Meeting about Indie Film Being Shot in Youngstown

2009-05-28T12:11:00.000-07:00

INFORMAL MEETING

Royal Oaks, 8 PM

924 Oak St

Thursday, June 4th

Noah Cicero and Pirooz Kalayeh will give a brief talk about the novel and future film. Then a sign-up sheet will be passed around for those who are interested.

"The Human War" Filming Location: Youngstown, Ohio Meeting Date: June 4th, 2009 Time: 8 PM Meeting Location: The Royal Oaks, 924 Oak St, Youngstown, OH 44506 (330) 744-5501. Produced by Sangha Films.

Latest Youngstown Film Adventure

2009-04-20T09:08:00.000-07:00

We had a fantastic weekend in Youngstown. Thanks to Fran at the Oakland Center for the Arts we were able to have a wonderful space to film and audition local talent. We met many great and wonderful actors of all age ranges. We look forward to seeing more of Youngstown's best in our next casting in September. Who knows? Maybe, we'll uncover the next Susan Boyle. That is what I'm always hoping for in these things. I have a feeling it'll happen. I'm hearing the James Earl Jones voice in my head continuously these days (read below).

Aside from auditions, we also got a chance to secure a few locations for filming. John Kennedy, the owner of The Royal Oaks Bar, was kind enough to offer his establishment with a winning pitch: "Look, Pirooz, this is the Cheers of Youngstown! Everyone comes here. All sorts. You can have a millionaire chatting with an electrician, or a line cook talking real restate with a YSU philosophy major. There are no class borders here. Everyone comes! You know, Jerry Springer? Well, hell, he even drinks here. Came through and wanted a place to be alone. Great guy, by the way. Loved the place. Even talked to everybody...And you see these booths? They're the originals from 1940 when this place opened. We won't ever take those things out. I get a kick having customers from back then, coming in and saying, 'Man, this place hasn't changed.' I love that! You like lamb, Pirooz? You want some lamb? I make a mean lamb..."

Lamb, Cheers, and Jerry Springer!?! How could we not film here, right?

We had a great time with John, Becky, Louis, and the rest of the gang. I did very much feel like it was a homecoming of sorts. Everyone was so kind and willing to just lay everything out there. It made me excited to just have a place that I could go to after a long day of shooting in Youngstown. It's also a double bonus to have the place you're shooting, be the place you are going to hang as well. I love those kinds of atmospheres on a film set.

I also like going to restaurants with Thomas and Noah. They make me laugh a lot. You wouldn't expect that from either of them. That's what makes it better.

Thomas Henwood discusses his former exploits in Paris.

Noah Cicero responds to these daring adventures.

I speak of daring melodies in musical soundtracks.

Noah suggests we use funk motifs like in the Peter Sellers film, Being There

or the groovy bass lines of Gil Scott Heron.

When we weren't have witty repartees, we did scout other locations. Among them was the Emerald Diner, a historic 1950's restaurant highlighted with so much chrome we had to stop in to see what it had to offer. We loved the place and their fries.

The next step for the film is raising more funds. I am following the James Earl Jones voice in my head: "If you build it, they will come."

Or better yet:

"Pirooz, people will come, Pirooz. They will come to Youngstown--for reasons they can't even fathom. They'll turn up Noah's driveway, not knowing for sure why they're doing it. They'll arrive at your door as innocent as children, longing for the future. Of course, we won't mind if you invest in our film. It's only $5,000 per person. They'll pass over the money without even thinking about it. For it is money they have and a movie about Youngstown they lack. "

Thomas really wanted this building to be in the movie. I thought it had strong potential too. Who knows? Maybe, when we return to Youngstown in June, we'll secure this location as well.

If you are interested in being a local crew member, audition, or become an investor in the film, please send Thomas an e-mail (You can send them to me, but I just like scaring Thomas in thinking he will have to field thousands of e-mails. Actually, that will be good. Send him a thousand e-mails.) He would love to talk about locations you might have, a rich uncle, or just chat about what it is to make an independent film.

Before I head off, we need to have the main characters graffiti a signpost. We need ideas on what the above could be changed to, or other brilliant ideas like "Velociraptors coming!" you might like to share.

Chat Soon,

Pirooz M. Kalayeh A.K.A. "Pierce Mondrian"

___________________________________

NOTE FOR TALENT: For actors who are interested in auditioning from Youngstown who did not get a chance, please send an e-mail with a photo/resume tocasting@sixdayproductions.com. Actors outside Ohio can visit the Sangha Films website for updated casting calls in New York and Los Angeles.

2009-04-16T09:24:00.001-07:00

Auditions for Independent film in Youngstown will take place on Saturday, April 18th between 9AM-3PM at the Oakland Center for the Arts, 220 West Boardman St., Youngstown, 44503.

Script Development Honeymoon

2009-03-04T12:02:00.000-08:00

Pirooz and his partner, Sohee, spent a week in New York City seeing the sites, developing the script, and celebrating their recent marriage with friends. Around mid-week, we filmed a table-read of the script to look at the dialogue and timing, and hosted another reading on Friday to hear the results of our tweaks and changes. The scene rhythm is really coming together after many months of research and adaptation. Many thanks to the talented actors who read for their nuanced take on THW characters.

Pirooz and I also met with Frank Ewing of Downtown Harvest to brainstorm about the film's score and musical voice. Frank is from my home state of Pennsylvania, near Philly, and we hit it off instantly. My partner, Dayana, and I have a vintage Yamaha Electone C-55 organ that we picked up for free from a church in Jersey, and Frank just started rocking out to the Beatles, playing bass with the foot pedals and jamming on the double-decker keyboard. Later, he started playing with musical themes based our mood descriptions of the film, and the results were amazing. He and Pirooz have a great rapport, and we hope to trade score ideas and themes over video chat as we push toward production.

We got Pirooz and Sohee to the airport just before the biggest snowstorm of the year blew onto the Eastern Seaboard. The gods are truly with us!

Private Donations for The Human War

2009-03-03T12:01:00.000-08:00

Thomas and I are now in the process of raising personal funds for our film adaptation of Noah Cicero's novel, The Human War.

The donation button below is for those of you who want to help with as little as $1-100+.

For those of you who are interested in becoming investors in the film, a prospectus is being prepared and share offerings will commence shortly. If interested, please e-mail Thomas Henwood or myself.

Thank you to those of you who have already offered your words of encouragement to help us with this film's journey. We are grateful and look forward to the new friends and larger community of artists and professionals who will make this project possible.

To a growing community!

Pirooz Kalayeh & Thomas Henwood

Producers, Sangha Films

______________________________________________

About Sangha Films

Sangha Films is a motion picture production company whose aim is to develop and produce edgy and contemporary independent films with a global perspective.

______________________________________________

About the Human War

Two hours till war.

It's six o'clock. Bush said at eight, people must die.

On the eve of the Iraq War, teenager Mark Swift dreams of escape from the realities of his lower class existence in economically-depressed Youngstown, Ohio, and the fear and bewilderment of a society at war.

_____________________________________________

Co-writer/Co-director's bios

Pirooz M. Kalayeh is a writer and painter originally from Iran. A graduate of The Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics, he has been published in the anthology, "Looking Back" (New Brighton Books, 2003); was granted a Zora Neale Hurston Award (Naropa University, 2002); and has recently published work in Wigleaf, Horseless Press, Iranian.com, and No Tell Motel. His comic book Golden Ashtray recounts the author's adventures living in Los Angeles. He is the founding member and proprietor behind musical group, The Slipshod Swingers, and their releases, Orange Lamborghini (Phipps, 2006) and Transistor Radio (Phipps, 2008) He has worked as a producer and post-production coordinator for Weller Grossman Productions and Screen Door Productions in Hollywood, CA. Some programs he has worked on include: Look What I Did (HGTV), Craftlab (DIY), and Strictly Sex with Dr. Drew (DISC). He lives with his wife in Los Angeles, New York, and South Korea. He interviews various entertainers and artists on his blog, Shikow.

Thomas Henwood is a writer/director/producer based in New York. Recently, he produced the short films “The Big Fat Lazy Sun” and “Happy Birthday, I’m Dead” with Director Daniel J. Brothers. Filmed on location in Colorado, "The Big Fat Lazy Sun" was captured on the new Sony EX-1 1080p HD Camera using Zeiss Super Speed prime lenses, a post workflow with Final Cut Pro HD, and finished at Nice Shoes with FilmLight's Baselight 1 and Baselight 8 non-linear color correction system. "BFLS" was pre-screened in November at the HD AT WORKS Conference at Studio Babelsburg, Berlin, and has been entered in over 50 film festivals in 2009. The film most recently won the Silver Lei Award from the Honolulu International Film Festival.

During the summers of 2005 and 2006, Henwood collaborated with poet Anne Waldman and writer/director Ed Bowes on two feature length experimental films shot in Colorado, most recently as line producer on Against the Slope of Social Speech (April 2007). Henwood is co-founder and president of SixDay Productions, LLC, a full-service film and video production company with clients such as LX Network, EMI Music, Icon Music Entertainment, Island Def Jam, Pepsi, Kraft Foods, Crayola, Ascics , Nike, Courtyard by Mariott, Safari Sundays Interactive, McGarry Bowen, and Continuity.

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Praise for the critically acclaimed novella, The Human War

Some novelists gently chisel their thoughts and ideas into refined, disciplined works of art, taking care to respect tradition and leave nary a flake of rock where unneeded. By contrast, ulcerous Ohioan Noah Cicero uses the language like a baseball bat, pounding his mind and soul and channeling his rage and suffering through the simplest form imaginable, a style he calls "existential minimalism." ...Fans of Beckett and Bukowski are hereby placed on notice.

--Emerson Dameron, Zine World

The Human War gives us the world of the powerless. Some of the characters are for the war, others are against it, but none of it matters. Their opinions are irrelevant; nothing they say will make any difference. The Human War doesn’t come to any neat conclusions: it is a novel about confusion mixed with revulsion... I think it is a beautifully crafted work but there is no flashy, artful striving for literary effect of the sort you find in prize-winning fiction. The prose is a brutal vernacular. This is how a huge American underclass talks. Reading The Human War I was reminded of the kind of world Kurt Cobain came from – marginalized, poor, dysfunctional. An American world far removed from Hollywood or John Updike’s fiction.... The Human War is also, it must be said, a very funny book. It satires America, and I kept hooting with laughter at its deadpan wit. But it doesn’t disrespect or patronize its characters....So what is The Human War in the end? A satirical anti-war masterpiece. A study of the condition of a contemporary underclass. A working class classic.

--Ellis Sharp, The Sharp Side
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About the Author

Noah Cicero lives in Ohio. His short stories have appeared in many magazines and webzines, including Reflections, The Surface, New Horizon, Brittle Star, Poindexter, AnotheRealm, Ygdrasil, Grundle Ink, Retort, Crimson Feet Connected, Jacob's Ladder, One Forty Two, Nth Position, Identity Theory, Newtopia, Subterranean Quarterly, Black Ice, and others. He also writes social commentary in collaboration with Oma Mullins.