GARRA Digital Films

I recently lensed and cut this little “barter” project. It got me a really nice kick ass haircut with another two trims to be scissored later.

FYI: MIDOMA is located on 78th Street off York Avenue in The Upper East Side of Manhattan. Visit MIDOMA.com for more information.

Recently my old goomba Chris Vitola snapped some shots of me for his portfolio. Take a look at some of his better looking subjects at OrsoFotos1962.

Mr. Vitola works at a “major” Madison Avenue agency and his photography has made it into national advertising campaigns. Chris has contributed to most of our shorts in front and behind the camera. For our latest film, “Gigantic Saturday,” Chris shot all the stills for our press kit and even took over Camera B

Here is a 40 second trailer for our new short film “Gigantic Saturday.” The actual film is 6 min. 30 sec. long and is currently undergoing film festival submission. Kudos to actor Nelson Landrieu for his on-the-money voice over.

“Love, alcapurrias, and Don Francisco. Just a typical Saturday night in The Bronx” is the tag line for our latest short film “Gigantic Saturday.” We finally get to share it with the cast and crew this Friday as we hold a small wrap party/screening/ego trip for all involved. We will also begin the festival submission process this week. Hope you catch it at a fest near you.

cast
MICHELE CARLO.………………….Maria
RAUL DEDOS…………….………….Jose

crew
LEO CURBELO………………Writer ~ Director
DEIRDRE SHEPPARD…….Assistant Director
PAUL BUSETTI……………..Director of Photography
MATT LAMBERT……………Camera B
CHRIS VITOLA………………Stills ~ Camera B
MANOSIJ GUHA…………….Sound
EVE CUYEN………………….Audio Mix
CHUCK MONSANTO……….Location Manager
CLAUDINE STRAZZA………Associate Producer
LEO CURBELO………………Producer ~ Editor

music
CUBAN MONTUONO…..…..……The Futz Butler
LATINA SPIRIT…………….………Vincent Varco
RIO RIO………………………………G Courtie & E Radford
MORE COWBELL w/ CLAVE……The C.E.O.

LOCATION: Wiliamsburg, Brooklyn
CAMERAS: Two Panasonic DVX 100
EDIT: FCP 5.0
POST FX: Magic Bullit
AUDIO MIX: Pro Tools

Our film “The fateful encounter of Wendy & Earl” was officially selected for the 25th International Uruguay Cinema Festival. It will play as part of the educational shorts segments and we’re darn proud. This is the 3 minute version of the 1 minute version titled “Wendy & Earl” which played on the web last winter. So if you’re in Montevideo this month try to catch this and other great films at the festival.

25th INTERNATIONAL URUGUAY CINEMA FESTIVAL
You’ll find us as the Estados Unidos entry. We’re representing USA with an anti-oil message. Go figure!

I’m in pre-pro for my new short “Gigantic Saturday” which borrows the name of a very popular Spanish language variety show. The program is a combination of “American Idol” and “The Price is Right” and has been around for over 20 years. It’s the kind of program watched by older parents and grandparents because it creates a feeling of familiarity for their demographic. In my story, a couple in their 30’s is watching the show mostly out of a habit passed down by their parents. The show of course plays in the background as soundtrack and the story concerns the couple’s growth or lack there of. I can’t give away the entire plot cause so many little things change in-between casting, shooting and editing. Overall I hope to hit a an air of familiarity for anyone knowledgeable with Latino New Yorkers. Is it indulgent? It may look like it from the outside but the story will touch universal subjects most married people have coped with in their relationships. I already got submissions from actors (nycasting.com and craiglslist.com rock!) and will bring them in to read.

Our latest short film titled “The Fateful Encounter of Wendy & Earl” has begun the Film Festival submission process. It’s a short under 3 minutes in length that deals with the damage OIL (ergo Earl) causes to the environment. It also supports the use of more ecological sources of power such as WIND (ergo Wendy.) But of course it’s all handled with GARRA Digital Film’s usual use of sarcasm and wit.

CAST
Kate Russell……………..Wendy
Jay Painter…………………..Earl

CREW:
Leo Curbelo…………….Writer/Director/Editor
Claudine Strazza……….Executive Producer
Nectarios Leonidas…………………..Producer
Paul Bussetti……………………..Videographer
Aaron Sherman…………….Location Manager

SCORE: “On The Banks Of The Siene” by Futz Butler
LOCATION: Central Park’s Kerb Boathouse
CAMERA: Panasonic DVX 100
EDIT: FCP 5.0
POST FX: Magic Bullit

GARRA Digital Films was invited to participate in 2006’s HBO New York Latino Film Festival.Pictured from left to right: Aida Angotti - “Hip-Hop Violinist”, Rob Graham - Film Blitz (panel moderator), Michael D. Olmos - “Splinter” (son of Edward James Olmos), Youssef Delara - “ESL”, LEO CURBELO - “The Garden of Eddie”, NECTARIOS LEONIDAS - Flippant Films (co-director of our “Lifelnes Debut” video)

Panel 4: My First Film: First-time directors and producers share their experiences of being a first-time filmmaker. You are only a first-time filmmaker once. With their insight and recent experience fresh in their minds, a panel of first-time filmmakers reflects on what they did right, what they did wrong, and how their experiences changed their views on filmmaking. Presented By: Film Blitz. Location: Tinker Auditorium, inside the Florence Gould Hall, 55 East 59th Street, between Park & Madison Avenues.