Re: Struck by Lightning Main thread

[fantastica]

SBL cast and set photos (they are too big to fit so tell me how to resize them on the fly):

















I didn't post the dead Carson pic. too distrubing.

[Jellyrolls]

I love the look on Chris' face in the big group picture.

[Guest]

Looking Damn fine!!!!!

[fantastica]

some more behind the scenes photos here (no chris):

http://spacebetweendreams.tumblr.com/post/17922313575/struck-by-lightning-behind-the-scenes-part-1

admin: can you please allow me to post links? so mad at you!

edit: it's fixed, I've allowed external links for recent members because, well, we have only recent members but it's an opened door for spammers, so I'm counting on you all to watch out for them. Also, your link was invalid lol (corrected now). - Shinra

[Jellyrolls]

some more behind the scenes photos here (no chris):

http: //
spacebetweendreams.tumblr.com/post/17922313575/struck-by-lightning-behind-the-scenes-part-1

admin: can you please allow me to post links? so mad at you!

Kim, I figured out how to set it up so that pictures automatically resize if you post big ones, and then you can click on the link to see the full size version.

To post a link, click on the button on the tool bar that looks kind of like a paper clip (It's the 17th button from the left). It brings down a little drop down, and you copy and paste your link into the top box, and then the words you sould like to see in the bottom box (like source or whatever), and hit OK.

[fantastica]

[fantastica]

(stolen from Irena's post on KHAT) A great Interview on SBL:

EXCLUSIVE: Chris Colfer Gets “Struck by Lightning” and Director Brian Dannelly Spills the Beans…

We have to admit we were intrigued when it was announced last year that “Glee” star and out and proud gay poster child Chris Colfer was writing and starring in his first feature length motion picture. It raised a lot of questions. Would the young actor make the transition from breakout television star to the big screen? Can Chris Colfer play anyone other than Kurt Hummel? For that matter, can Chris Colfer write a screenplay?

Some of those questions have been partly answered with this week’s release of the teaser trailer for that film, “Struck by Lightning”. The film stars Mr. Colfer with support from a cast that includes Allison Janney as his mother; “Modern Family” actress Sarah Hyland; “Mad Men” star and SGS female crush object, Christina Hendricks; “The Office’s” Angela Kinsey and heart throbby actor Dermot Mulroney. The plot concerns a smart and ambitious high school student named Carson Phillips who is so determined to get his high school literary magazine off the ground, he blackmails students in the school to contribute. AND, to make matters more fun, the film is told in flashback; Carson Phillips is dead when the film begins because he was…wait for it…STRUCK BY LIGHTNING! (No, that’s not spoiler; it’s how the film is being marketed. ) Mr. Colfer had this to say to Entertainment Weekly about the film:

“It’s about all the kids in high school who are overachieving in their own right and underappreciated for it just like I was. I think it’s very sarcastic and very real. I hope it goes to show that there still lots and lots of smart kids out in the world. It’s about smart kids and not about stupid kids who wanna get laid and that’s their biggest goal in life. “

The plot has great potential and we liked the teaser trailer for this film as well, especially Rebel Wilson as Carson’s wisecracking sidekick. (She has the best line in the trailer: “They will believe ’cause we’ll spread that shit like Nutella.”)

In fact, we were so intrigued by this trailer/film that we did some digging and discovered it’s directed by Brian Dannelly who helmed “Saved!” the 2004 film about teens in a religious high school dealing with homophobia, teen pregnancy and religious intolerance that was a hit with LGBT audiences at film festivals and home video. Using our crack journalistic skills, (uh, we tracked him down via Facebook) we contacted Brian Dannelly and asked him to spill the beans on “Struck by Lighnting” and working with our favorite “Gleekster” Chris Colfer…check it out:

Michael Strangeways: How did you get involved with this film? What drew you to the material? Obviously there are some similarities to your debut film, Saved!, if only in the sense it deals with teenagers and their interactions with each other and adult society.

Brian Dannelly: David Permut sent me the script and I read the material and really liked it. Most high school movies are written by people who have long since graduated and Chris’ take felt honest and relevant. I was also very attracted to the theme of “It’s the journey not the destination.” I had never seen that in a high school script. That was really exciting to me. Another thing that was really intriguing to me was the fact that ALL the characters were so obviously flawed yet it still managed to have “heart.” I loved how Chris’ character, “Carson,” never backed down in spite of all the obstacles standing in his way. Carson isn’t a victim, he’s a fighter.

I avoided teen films after I made SAVED because I didn’t want to only be known for making teen movies. I think that’s what drew me to network and cable because I was able to explore different, more adult worlds and the material I was being sent was so much more interesting than the scripts I was being sent at the time. However, STRUCK BY LIGHTNING struck a cord. I know how very important teen movies are to people coming of age and here was a story I hadn’t seen and would have like to have seen when I was in high school. Because Chris’ character isn’t your standard teen archetype, I knew it would be a tough film to get made and I honestly thought I could do right by Chris and the material and help get his vision on screen. High school is a really interesting time because, for many people, it’s the first time they start seeing the world for what it really is so, it’s important to me that each generation has a high school film they can relate to. These films also serve as a touchstone for older audiences- where were they in high school? Where are they now?

MS: The trailer is charming but what is “Struck by Lightning”? A comedy? A Black Comedy? The lead character (played by Chris Colfer) is dead, something not spelled out in the trailer, but it has been openly mentioned in all the press for the film. Is that going to be tough to market?

BD: That trailer really isn’t the “official” trailer. It was a tool to get distributers interested in the film. It wasn’t color-corrected and the sound wasn’t mixed– the title cards are horrible but, when you’re making a low budget film, you have to do what you have to do. We had a recruited audience test screening a few months ago and we tested through the roof. The audience laughed and cried and I think they were surprised by the journey they went on. It was very rewarding as it was the first time we had screened it for anyone let alone an auditorium filled with people we didn’t know. I don’t want to give too much away but the character’s death is handled in a really interesting way and, surprisingly enough, you leave the audience feeling good. I think the overwhelming sentiment is “life is short, make each day count.”

MS: Chris Colfer wrote this film. It’s his first major film work as not only an actor, but as writer and producer as well. (And, considering the demands of “Glee” we’re not sure where he finds the time to get so much accomplished. He’s obviously good at multi-tasking!) Was that a challenge for you, as a writer/director who’s already been through this process with Saved! to work with someone who’s doing it all for the first time, and at such a young age?

BD: That was really the most surprising part of the process. Chris was extremely generous and open during the entire process. He genuinely trusted me as a director and it was a very humbling experience. I can tell you, I was way to insecure at his age to be as kind and gracious as he was to me and everyone else involved. I felt a lot of pressure to deliver a film Chris could be proud of and I knew how important this entire project was to him, his future and his fans. He really is a good human being and incredibly grounded and focused. I learned a lot from him.

MS: What was the budget for this film? And, how demanding were the time constraints for filming? You only had Chris Colfer for a few weeks last summer between the end of the Glee tour and filming for season 3.

BD: I can’t talk about the budget as we haven’t sold the film yet. Our first screening for distributers is next week. However, I can tell you it was incredibly low and we had a little over two weeks to shoot it. That meant we had to be incredibly prepared, practical, focused and smart about the process. Thankfully, I was able to get people onboard who had a lot of experience and with whom I had worked with in the past (Cinematographer- Bobby Bukowski, Wardrobe Designer- Wendy Chuck). I’m also extremely prepared and I know exactly what I need each day so, that helps. Everyone from the producers to the crew to the editor really gave everything they had to make this film happen. It was kind of a miracle that it all came together as well as it did. We also had an amazing cast of talented actors who made every day a real joy.

MS: This is definitely an “indie film” which was a bit surprising to me. Chris Colfer is the breakout star on a hugely successful television series. In the old days, the studios would have lined up to grab the “It Kid” for a project, even if it was a low budget genre picture. Is that era of studio film making gone, or is it a question of the studios being afraid to make and market a film with an out actor so identified with queer culture?

BD: I think everyone is scrambling to try and figure out this new age of media we’re living in. I actually think this is good for getting films made because a project doesn’t necessarily need a studio behind it to get made and there are so many alternative outlets for releasing a project. I’m not sure but I suspect Chris wanted to take matters into his own hands and wanted to tell the story he wanted to tell without a lot of other hands in the mix. It’s a pretty bold move but I think it will ultimately turn out to be a smart one on his part. What’s interesting about the film to me is, while Carson says, ” I know what it’s like to be an outed, outsider.” That’s about as far as the film goes regarding his sexuality. It’s not about his struggle to come to terms with his sexuality and his sexuality has nothing to do with the reason why he struggles in school. It’s about a teenager who has problems like any other teenager so, the fact that his sexuality is never an issue is really something I’ve never seen before. It’s kind of unheard of.

MS: The trailer is a bit of a revelation as to Chris Colfer’s talents as an actor. He’s playing a teenager in a high school but Carson Phillips is obviously not Kurt Hummel…it’s a different character and a vastly different performance. I think there’s a perception that he’s a charming and talented young man, but essentially Chris and Kurt are the same person. But, Mr. Colfer is very definitely a “leading man” in this film and displays the necessary “Star Charisma” to be a lead in a film. Was that a surprise for you and do you think the audience will be surprised: “Chris Colfer ISN’T just Kurt Hummel”

BD: It’s the one comment I hear over and over- “Carson is nothing like Kurt.” And, Chris really isn’t like either of those characters. He truly is acting when he plays these roles. Chris was very sure of his performance as Carson and very conscious of this character being very different from Kurt. He was even into not hiding his pimples- which is very rare for an actor. It was always exciting to work with him on set.

MS: There’s some big name actors in this film: Allison Janney as Carson’s mom; Dermot Mulroney; Christina Hendricks; “Modern Family’s” Sarah Hyland. What was the casting process like? It’s not a large budget film…what attracted the actors to the project?

BD: I think actors have a real love for Chris Colfer and really wanted to support him on his first film. They were excited to be a part of it so the casting process was relatively easy. Chris wanted Allison Janney to play his mother right from the beginning. We had lunch with her in the valley and I think we were both in love with her after the meeting. Allison was just amazing to work with- astonishing. We had a lot of group casting calls for the high school roles and we really just cast the actors who seemed to have the best chemistry together. We had a hard time finding an actor to play the part of Carson’s best friend, Malerie. Some amazing young actors came in but it wasn’t until the last minute that we cast Rebel Wilson. I don’t think I’ve ever worked with a funnier, smarter actor and she’s gone on to do such big things now. There was a real sense of camaraderie on set and I think the actors genuinely had a good time making the film.

MS: There isn’t an announced premiere date or distributor for the film. What’s the status of that? Are you looking to do the film festivals or a bigger, national multi-screen release?

BD: Like I said, there will be a distributor screening next week so we’ll see how that goes. It’s always a scary process. We have avoided film festivals because most of them don’t cater to this film’s audience but there are a few we are considering. A lot will depend on what happens next week.

MS: In talking to gay film makers, it seems there’s definitely some sense of “fraternity”…directors seem to WANT their fellow film makers to do well, if only because it helps all gay filmmakers to some degree if queer themed films do well commercially and critically. Did you find that to be the case when you were working on Saved! ? Is there a sense of community for queer film?

BD: I’m kinda’ outside the bubble but I definitely route for my fellow gay filmmakers. We are always supporting each other via Facebook and trying to help each other out where we can. The fact that anyone, gay or not, gets a film made and seen is a miracle, really.

http://www.seattlegayscene.com/2012/02/exclusive-chris-colfer-gets-struck-by-lightning-and-director-brian-dannelly-spills-the-beans.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+GaySeattleBlogspot+%28Seattle+Gay+Scene%29

[fantastica]

^^ referring to that exclusive article/interview: love love love it! a great interview w/ insightful and detailed questions and answers. love it so much!

[Struck by Lightning]

Anyway,I'm very picky about movies,there are very few movies can inpress me tbh.I'd say SBL seems fine to me,mainly I'm really inpressed by Chris' writing.Those lines are so witty.Some people say SBL is like Mean Girls,these people definitely have not seen too many movies or good movies.Then people(like The Stir)say it has sort of Juno vibe,I can see where they come from,but to me,SBL reminds me of Thelma and Louise and Donnie Darko.It has lots of 80s and 90s movie vibe.Its colour and lighting is so bright and broad,just makes people more easy to see the big picture.

Parts of it reminds me of those films, and maybe to some extent Easy A as well.

[dap1217]

Anyway,I'm very picky about movies,there are very few movies can inpress me tbh.I'd say SBL seems fine to me,mainly I'm really inpressed by Chris' writing.Those lines are so witty.Some people say SBL is like Mean Girls,these people definitely have not seen too many movies or good movies.Then people(like The Stir)say it has sort of Juno vibe,I can see where they come from,but to me,SBL reminds me of Thelma and Louise and Donnie Darko.It has lots of 80s and 90s movie vibe.Its colour and lighting is so bright and broad,just makes people more easy to see the big picture.

Parts of it reminds me of those films, and maybe to some extent Easy A as well.

Yes!
I hope they won't change the movie's colour too much.I just don't get it why nowadays movies are so dark.And for now the only problem I have is the way camera work not so like a movie,more like TV show.But I guess that because the director works too long for TV shows.

[Shinra17]

I love the itw with Brian Dannelly, especially these 2 parts:

He really is a good human being and incredibly grounded and focused. I learned a lot from him.

I think actors have a real love for Chris Colfer and really wanted to support him on his first film.

[dap1217]

I love the itw with Brian Dannelly, especially these 2 parts:

He really is a good human being and incredibly grounded and focused. I learned a lot from him.

I think actors have a real love for Chris Colfer and really wanted to support him on his first film.

He simply is worshiping Chris

[ColferGirl]

I loved that new interview with the director!! It was a great read, I love getting more insight into the film and the process and why the director decided to take on the project.

BD: I think actors have a real love for Chris Colfer and really wanted to support him on his first film.

That was my favorite line from the interview, too. I love when other actors love Chris.

[brisallie]

I love the itw with Brian Dannelly, especially these 2 parts:

He really is a good human being and incredibly grounded and focused. I learned a lot from him.

I think actors have a real love for Chris Colfer and really wanted to support him on his first film.

I read the interview and it mades me feel exciting that Brian is the director because Saved! is one of my favorite and also he said there's coming a new trailer :D I'm so exciting about this movie, despite I'm sure I going to have to download it from internet ... illegally :O

[Guest]

I know when you are interviewed you need to be positive. Obviously you do not want to bash something you are directly involved in, but I do love that everyone connected with Chris seems so positive about him. I love that Brian tweeted him when the clip came out, I love that Rebel watches him in Glee and continual tweets him. I love that the critics, who don't have to be positive, basically are. I love that he is leading an OUT mag poll because a year ago he wouldn't even have been on it. I hope we gets pix from the March 3rd play!!!

[tanita_mors]

From the Choir Room :

A user in the Klaine thread of the Gleeforum says she has tickets for a screening of Struck By Lightning this tuesday. With link & password to RSVP to tell them your going and everything, so I guess it's legit. I guess we'll get no spoilers, but more first impressions by then.

They're doing some kind of SBL test screening this week and at least the people I've heard getting invited are people that were extras in that crowd scene they filmed. It's definitely not a general public thing and the invites are non-transferrable. There's somebody I follow on Tumblr who was home when they filmed that and so she went to it but now she's back at college and got an invite to the screening and she can't go. Needless to say, she's upset.

[ry_kurtsie]

^That person at the Klaine thread is saying she can't go now because her parents didn't allow her to go.

[fantastica]

^ I hope they do not spoil anything. still I'd like to see some of those talking about their impressions - w/o giving out any storyline or details in the movies, as well as how audiences reacted.

[tanita_mors]

I guess will get some impressions on Tumblr, but hopefully no real spoiling. Unless a movie is based on a book and I need to know if I'm gonna be disappointed in advance (which generally happens 90% of the time) I don't like spoiled movies. Glee is the only show I'm spoiled in this magnitude. For others I read a few from time to time (if I menage to find a reliable and up to date site) or not at all.

[fantastica]

^ not just for myself, but for Chris' sake. I want people to really enjoy his movie, w/o the spoilers. He and many other artists who worked w/ him on this project deserve to be respected for their hard work. I am waiting patiently for some impression/review after the screening. I am so excited! now that glee is off the air for awhile, the fact that we can still have something looking forward to this comign Tuesday is almost a miracle in itself.

[Coolbeans3131]

From Tumblr

I'm giving away a free pass to a screening of Struck By Lightning for this Tuesday night at 7:30 pm Feb 28

lulz-chan:

I was so very kindly given a pass to the screening by a lovely, generous person on the GleeForum, but unfortunately I am unable to go due to parental complications and long distance. Therefore, I will be giving it randomly to someone on tumblr. The screening is this Tuesday night in a theater in Sunset Boulevard at 7:30 pm, but you have to arrive by 6:30. The pass has a website link on it with a password and recruiter ID that I will be privately messaging to the winner. You enter the codes on the website and fill out a form, then they email you your ticket which you print out. You can also bring up to one guest.

Whoever goes must also promise that they will not spoil the movie in any way once they get back. I assume you’ll be signing papers and forms also, but PLEASE do not spoil any details. Of course, you are allowed to write a lovely eloquent review on how amazing you think it was. In fact, I encourage it. Just no details. Except… I want you to come back and privately tell ME all about it.

I will be picking randomly from the people who send me a message. I’m very upset I can’t make it to the screening, but I want this ticket to go to someone who will enjoy and appreciate it, so my choice might also depend on the content of your blog and/or your message. Also, you obviously need to live somewhat close to LA.

So go and spread the word please.

ETA: This opportunity is open until Monday Feb 27, 6:00 pm. After that I’ll be giving the passes away.

Wow. I hope she picks someone good, who will be respectful and not spoil, but tell us their opinion.

[fantastica]

wish I was in LA. let's see who is the lucky person...

[arina]

I cannot wait for the reactions from the screening, hope they will be positive! Although probably primarily fans are going, so I assume they will be! I am curious what critics will say about the movie when they see it....

Also hope the screening for distributors will do great, it has to. Although I am sorry that there is zero chance that I will be able too the movie in the theatre anyway... And I would love to see Chris on big screen!

[ColferInspired]

Again I am envious.

I wish I lived in LA as well. I am nervous about the screening for distributors, but it should go okay. Critics seem to love the trailer, so that is a positive.

I hope no-one gives away any spoilers.

I hope they get a big distributor. I want to see this film in Australia.

[Guest]

I have to ask, are they allowed to give away their tickets?? I thought I read this was a select group of people chosen for this screening.

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