Head - Defining Monsters: July 2014

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Shooting Day Two!

Jon directing Manda and Nick, Rick setting up the shot

The slate!

Tom…

Jon and Mike with crooked hats, Keith Paul style.

Look for some video soon too!

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Cast and Crew - Gabe Finkenstein

Gabe Finkenstein

Puppeteer,Special Effects

Gabe Finkenstein is a professional illustrator and artist who works restoring carousel animals.
An avid comic book fan he works alongside Elmwood's very own Ben Farley on the web comic "Party Time" which just celebrated its one year anniversary.
Some time ago his paths crossed with a founding Jon Bristol and having grown up a huge fan of puppetry he hopped on board and enjoyed the creative outlet immensely working on puppet and non-puppet projects alike. Before he knew it he was a star in "Josh and Todd: The Story of A Man and His Puppet" and popping up in episodes of "Steve the Vampire". Gabe was soon designing t-shirts for Elmwood too!

Many examples of his work in cartooning can be seen on Elmwood's Cafe Press page and on his website Finkenstein Studios.

When the project of "Head" was brought up with an opportunity to do puppetry and some special effects he was in and ready to go.

Monday, July 28, 2014

Cast and Crew - Jon Bristol

Jon Bristol

Director, Producer, Screenwriter, Puppeteer,

Whatever Else Needs To Get Done

Jon is the man responsible for all this Elmwood Productions madness. A self taught puppeteer and puppet maker. Jon gathered some friends, some equipment, wrote some scripts, made the puppets and the rest is history. On the rare occasion he’s not working on a project he can be found hanging out with his cat Ripper, and his girlfriend Brie…
Wait… He just got engaged!!

Jon with his puppet doppelgänger from "Animal Behavior" (2013)

Jon founded Elmwood Productions in 2001 (dates change depending on who you ask, blame aliens) and within a year he lost his mind.

For a bigger view on the history of Elmwood and Jon's mind and madness click here…

Born and raised in Elmwood USA Jon's obsessions with puppets and film started at a young age. Now at an old age he's still making the puppets and making the movies!

Wanna keep up with all the Jon Madness? Check out The Mad Puppeteer!

Saturday, July 26, 2014

Cast and Crew - Keith Paul

Keith Paul

Puppeteer

Once upon a time, there was a big, ginger man who, while seemingly cross to the outside world, was a ridiculously resilient, son-of-a-gun.
He's an Actor, Director, Techie, Music & Movie lover, Photographer, Sculptor, Mind Blower, Adventurer and all-around Troublemaker. He's been told that he's Tactful. Obtuse. Friendly. Cute. Hardworking. Sexy. Impossible. Charismatic. Creative. Evil. One of a Kind. Approachable. Trustworthy. Hardcore. Crazy. Fun to be with. And... a Jerk.
Currently the Creator and Artistic Director of The Desultory Theatre Club, an alternative arts venue that is nestled somewhere in the hills of Litchfield County. He also occasionally emcees for the Sunday Sizzle! A free weekly burlesque show on Sunday nights down at The 9th Note in New Haven!

Friday, July 25, 2014

Shooting… Day One!

Here's a couple looks at the first day of shooting…

Doesn't look scary at all!!!

YET

Thursday, July 24, 2014

New Teaser...

Cast and Crew - Sally Arlette Garcia

Sally Arlette Garcia

Puppeteer

Sally Arlette Garcia is a passionate, dedicated actress who you will continue to find on film and the stage. She is thrilled to join Elmwood Productions in their latest project “Head” in which she is now taking on operating and voicing puppets.
She was last seen in the role of Gwen Landis in Lanford Wilson’s “Fifth of July”. You may have also seen her as Anne Bonny in an original production “The Pirate Plays” written by Steven Otfinoski at the Buttonwood Tree in Middle Town. Prior credits include Sally Silversleigh on the North Pole Essex Steam Train, Katie in a Staged Reading of the play “Stuff Dreams Are Made Of”, Beth in “Dinner with Friends”, Irma in “The Madwoman of Chaillot”, Miss Forsythe in “Death of a Salesman”, and Pupil in Eugene Ionesco’s “The Lesson” which she also directed in a small New York Theatre.

Monday, July 21, 2014

Cast and Crew- Ben Farley

Ben Farley

Puppeteer

G.I. Joe Filecard for Action Figure Ben Farley:

Name: Ben Farley
Age: 28
Height: 6'4"
From: Parts unknown
Additional Info: Ben has a background in musical

theatre and broadcasting.

He has experience as a writer,

including scripting for

Party Time Comics and Elmwood Productions.

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Cast and Crew - Russ Werlebird

Russ Werlebird

Cinematographer, Puppeteeer, Executive Producer

With a Degree in psychology and a day job turning wrenches Puppetry seemed
to be the most obvious hobby for Russ.
When the idea to make a horror film came about he agreed it was a good idea.
When the idea to make an all puppet horror film came around he agreed it was a really fucking good idea.
When asked about his qualifications he responds with:

"Well, I attended Jiulliard. I've travelled extensively. I lived through the Black Plague, I had a pretty good time during that .  I've seen 'The Exorcist' about a   hundred and sixty-seven times, and it keeps gettin' funnier every single time I  see it! "

Thursday, July 17, 2014

Cast and Crew - Manda Vasas

Manda Vasas

Puppeteer

Hi, I'm Amanda.
But I am not a man, duh.
For I have boobies!

Native of CT
Boston strong for 9 years long,
But glad to be back!

Real short and real loud
But really loving as well
I'll smother your heart :D

Science and wrestling
And the performing arts, too
Nerd? Geek? Yep, that's me!

So thank you Elmwood
It's gonna be fun, can't wait
To fist a puppet! 
Awesome!
Thanks!!!

Monday, July 14, 2014

Cast and Crew - Rick Passmore



Rick Passmore

Editor, Associate Producer, Technical Advisor







Rick Passmore was born on an ashram and never witnessed a film, let alone a puppet until he moved to Connecticut in 2011.





Just Kidding.








Born and Raised in rural Northeastern Ohio, Rick proudly proclaims that he grew up across the street from a hay field in a township.  Not a “Town”; a “Township” (Paris Township, to be exact).  When he was a child, his love of video games drove him to want a life in video games. However, his drawing artistic talents didn’t match up for the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, so he opted for film school and headed west... To Toledo.






Beginning in 2005, Rick studied at the University of Toledo.  There, he developed a major appreciation for the medium, including horror films.  He also discovered that there was more to the art than Star Wars and Quentin Tarantino.  Even though a lot of his influences and favorites are still very mainstream, he doesn’t have a definitive favorite film.  He loves to experience new works, new styles and suspend his disbelief to love things the general public dislikes, but with enough knowledge and taste to loathe big budget fan favorites (Looking at you, Michael Bay).






In 2009, he acted in his first independent feature, Nine Minute Love Song (dir. Benjamin Yackshaw), playing Nolan, the ignorant best friend to antagonist and all-around terrible person Dustin (played terrifically by that not all-around terrible person Evan Sayre).  Rick also discovered that if he were to have a career in film, it wouldn’t be in the chair or behind the camera, yet with a splicer and a Steenbeck (or Adobe Premiere, in this case).  Editing was Rick’s true calling within film. 



Yet, it was his work with television that landed him in the middle of the Constitution State.  Rick was employed by UT’s Media Services department from 2007 until his graduation in 2009.  In February 2010, Rick landed a part-time gig at the local TV station in Youngstown, Ohio, and spent 18 months honing his skills that eventually would come to work on one of the most major stages in the world: ESPN.










Rick moved to Bristol in August of 2011, and met the guys of Elmwood Productions in 2012.  Although he spends over 40 hours a week on the ESPN Campus working as a Studio Camera Operator and a Video Editor, he loves the fact that he can work within his passion thanks to Elmwood.  His first directorial work with Elmwood, The Walking Path, was a horror project that was written, shot, and edited in a 24 hour window.  It re-sparked the passion and the excitement that drove Rick to film long ago, and with his position on HEAD, he looks forward to being the part of a fantastic and intriguing approach to the grungy B-Horrors that fascinated him during his college years. 





Follow Rick on Twitter!