press kit - Visit Films

BELLFLOWER
PRESS KIT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
3.
Synopsis
5.
Coatwolf
6.
Cast & Crew Bios
18.
The Medusa
20.
Production Anecdotes
22.
Director Note
23.
Contact Info
24.
Still Photos
1
SYNOPSIS
Bellflower follows two friends who spend their time building flamethrowers and
other weapons in the hope that a global apocalypse will occur and clear the
runway for their imaginary gang, Mother Medusa.
While waiting for the destruction to commence, their call to excitement comes
unexpectedly when one of them meets a charismatic young woman and falls hard
in love. Quickly integrating into a new group of friends, they set off on a journey
of betrayal, love, hate, and extreme violence more devastating than any of their
apocalyptic fantasies.
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Evan Glodell was in his workshop for over a month constructing what is known as 'COATWOLF MODEL II’ ,
a custom optical system tailor-made for the SI-2K cameras used to photograph Bellflower.
THE JOURNEY OF THE BROKE, DANGEROUS, LAW-BREAKING FILMMAKING GANG, 'COATWOLF'
Coatwolf had acquired $5,000 from a recent job and were finally ready to pull the trigger on a project that
seemed daunting and hardly possible.! They were going for it.! Principle photography!on Bellflower officially
started in July of 2008 in and around Oxnard and Ventura, California. The production office / sleeping
quarters for cast & crew was an abandoned wing of an office building with one shower, a kitchen, and
a!couple empty!offices with cots.! It!would be!the Coatwolf team’s home for over two years.
!
The budget went quickly and before they knew it, they were no longer able to!reimburse the actors and the
small crew for gas money!or provide!food. With no legal permits or permission, protocol was out the
window. The project seemed destined for failure on several occasions throughout production: Faulty
cameras, severe car troubles, Evan Glodell’s bench warrants, location dysfunction, cast & crew woes… Several
custom vehicles were used in the film and none of them were registered or insured, so driving the
highways!and streets was always a risk. The fully functional flamethrower, which had to be used several times
throughout the shoot, could theoretically be considered a weapon of mass destruction and they were
walking through residential neighborhoods with it.! The ‘Medusa' car flames almost burned down power
lines!while filming!one scene and there was always!the risk of explosion if the flamethrower exhaust system
malfunctioned.! If that weren’t enough, they had to blow up a propane tank with a twelve-gauge shotgun slug
while it was on fire.! None of this ever sat well with anyone involved...
!
In short, the entire movie was a recipe for disaster, orchestrated by engineering mad-man, Evan Glodell.!
Luckily, there was never an event disastrous enough to kill, maim, or halt production, so they continued their
quest to get the film in the can.! In late October of 2008, they found themselves shooting the last scene of
the movie.! It was over.! Bellflower was wrapped.! No party, no celebration.! Photography had lasted for
over 90 days.! They all knew they’d done something special,!but they were bankrupt - financially, physically
and emotionally.!!It was time to go back to their former lives.
5
KEY POINTS
LOGLINE:
A love story with apocalyptic stakes.
COMPANY:
Coatwolf Productions
FORM:
Narrative Feature Film
GENRE:
Drama
RUNNING TIME:
106 minutes
COMPLETION DATE:
December, 2010
COUNTRY:
USA
MEDIUM:
SI-2K w/ custom Coatwolf Optical Systems
ASPECT RATIO:
2.35:1
SOUND MIX:
Dolby 5.1
EXHIBITION FORMAT:
HD Cam
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EVAN GLODELL
writer / director / role of 'woodrow'
EVAN GLODELL
Originally from Wisconsin, Evan moved to California in his early 20s with a group of close friends to pursue
his dream of becoming a filmmaker.! He and his brother started the Brothers Glodell which would grow to
have a huge Internet cult following for their quirky and humorous short videos, some including Bellflower cast
members Jessie Wiseman and Vincent Grashaw.! Picking up other Coatwolf members along the way,
including Tyler Dawson and Joel Hodge, Evan began working for Internet start-up STIM TV where he
conceptualized and starred in the edgy sitcom BOSS OF THE GLORY.! Evan has directed many music
videos, most notably Cursive's LET ME UP. Working as a cinematographer, Evan shot the feature-length
horror movie PLACEBO and the short film SAVANNA, which screened at the Beverly Hills Film Festival and
won an Accolade Competition, 'Excellence in Film' award.!
!
BELLFLOWER, an intensely personal story incorporating many real life events, is Evan Glodell's feature-length
directorial debut.! Production began in early 2008 shortly after completing the innovative 'Coatwolf Model II'
Ultra Large Format optical system made exclusively for the fi lm. Bellflower became Evan's true labor of
love, causing him to sacrifice almost everything, including selling off all of his personal belongings and living in
an abandoned wing of an office building to fund the movie.
Evan is a prolific writer and has already developed a series of feature-length movies to follow Bellflower:
TALES FROM THE APOCALYPSE.
9
JESSIE WISEMAN
role of 'milly'
JESSIE WISEMAN
Born and raised in Ojai, California, Jessie
Wiseman started acting at 15 with a theater
group called, THEATER 150, led by her acting
coach and mentor, Kim Maxwell.! Jessie honed
her craft in over 30 performances, most of them
from her own written material. It was a six week
run of the play THIS IS OUR YOUTH which
secured her the role in the play THE HOSTAGE
for the Alliance Theater in Los Angeles. Her
dedication paid off when the play won the
Ovation Award for 'Best Ensemble'. After her
performance in another Alliance play THE
LITTLE MATCH GIRL, Jessie met Evan Glodell
and they began making several short films and
promotional spots for the web-based company
STIM TV.
BELLFLOWER marks her debut in a lead role in a
feature film. Jessie currently resides in Los
Angeles.!
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TYLER DAWSON
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Born in Vancouver, Canada, Tyler Dawson began
doing local theater at a young age and
transitioned into film and television as a teenager.
In 2000, Tyler moved to Los Angeles to attend
the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.!
Midway through his studies he was diagnosed
with a rare liver disease which forced him to
return to Vancouver and eventually required a
liver transplant. Dawson later wrote and
performed a one man show about the
experience called THE BROKEN ORGAN
where he garnered much acclaim for his
performance. Six months after the transplant he
returned to the Academy and served as a
member from 2005-2006. Tyler appeared in
Tarik Karam’s short film THE RED VEIL. Evan
saw Tyler in the play!DEMON BOY AND
SCORPION CITY and he was immediately cast
for the role of Aiden in BELLFLOWER. Shortly
after, Tyler was cast as a regular in the cult webseries BOSS OF THE GLORY and served as the
Host for the company STIM TV.
Bellflower is his first lead role in a feature film.
Tyler currently resides in Los Angeles.!
TYLER DAWSON
role of 'aiden'
REBEKAH BRANDES
Born in Detroit, Michigan, Rebekah Brandes grew
up in Connecticut, Arizona and Maryland before
returning to Los Angeles at age 18.! Rebekah
graduated from the American Academy of
Dramatic Arts two years later.! She followed up
her training with a two year program at the
Joanne Baron and D.W. Brown Meisner Institute.!
14
She has appeared in guest roles on TV's
CRIMINAL MINDS, NCIS, GREEK and THE
FORGOTTEN as well as a handful of indie
horror flicks, including the award winning
MIDNIGHT MOVIE which she was nominated
'Best Actress' by the Chicago Horror Film
Festival.
REBEKAH BRANDES
role of 'courtney'
JOEL HODGE
director of photography
JOEL HODGE
Determined to always "get the shot" when lensing a project, Joel Hodge has risked both life and limb in his
pursuit to capture the unique look that sets Coatwolf apart from the mainstream. Working as director of
photography, storyboard artist, camera operator!and editor,!his aesthetic contributions and his do-or-die
attitude have made him an irreplaceable member of the Coatwolf team.
!
From the moment Joel discovered video cameras he started documenting the crazy adventures he and his
friends encountered. As a teenager he started compiling this footage into a public access show, eventually
shooting and editing a feature length film that became quite popular in the local community. Setting off
across the country, he next combined his love of videography and dangerous antics by filming extreme
sporting events for XSTV.
Joel Hodge and Evan Glodell met while working at Internet start-up company STIM TV, quickly becoming
best friends and creative collaborators. They teamed up on many projects, from concept to completion,
such as the web-based sitcom BOSS OF THE GLORY, EASTER A.D. and Cursive's LET ME UP music video.
The duo also worked on the award-winning short film SAVANNA and the feature-length horror movie
PLACEBO. Joel prides himself on mastering any new Coatwolf camera constructed by Glodell, a task which
is very challenging and unconventional. It has become a long-standing dare for Glodell to create something
that Joel can't handle.
Bellflower marks Joel's debut as Director of Photography on a feature film.
17
VINCENT GRASHAW
Born and raised in the San Fernando Valley, over the last decade Vincent has written, directed, produced and
acted in several music videos, shorts, feature films, and commercials.!!
He won much acclaim for the award-winning horror film CALLOUS SENTIMENT which has screened in
over a dozen festivals around the world. 'Callous' was a Top-10 Finalist in Kevin Spacey’s Triggerstreet Film
Festival in 2005, and it garnered distribution on two feature-length film compilation DVDs: “Festivals of
Horror, Vol. 1” and “Visions of Horror, Vol. 1”.!
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Vincent began working on projects with Evan Glodell after meeting him through Triggerstreet.com in 2004.
"I watched an outrageously insane short film Evan made and felt we should definitely be working together."
Vincent intends to produce films for Evan Glodell under the Coatwolf banner, which has already begun
development on a slate of feature films entitled TALES FROM THE APOCALYPSE.
Vincent’s filmography also includes: director of the beloved Fijian language film ELIKI, which was also recently
selected as a Top-10 Finalist in Kevin Spacey’s Triggerstreet Film Festival in 2010; director of SAVANNA, a
controversial piece that premiered at the Beverly Hills Film Festival and won the 'Excellence in Film' award at
the Accolade Film Competition. Currently, Vincent is slated to direct two feature films: COLDWATER,
which is to star Ron Perlman (Hellboy / Sons of Anarchy), and the dark hitman drama ANATOMY.
VINCENT GRASHAW
producer
THE MEDUSA
Controlled from the dashboard:
- two fuel injected exhaust flamethrowers
with a 30,000 volt ignition system
- smoke screen
- bleach drift-kit
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- 6-71 Supercharger
- custom apocalypse exhaust system
- posi rear end
- adjustable rear suspension
- self-contained oxygen supply for chemical or
underwater warfare
- loudspeaker intercom system
- roll cage, stow-able fold-down back seat
- three surveillance cameras
- sawed-off shotgun in the trunk.!!
THE MEDUSA
1972 buick skylark
PRODUCTION ANECDOTES
THE DIRTY TRUCKER PUNCH
as remembered by Vincent Grashaw
Evan Glodell's character 'Woodrow' had to be punched in the face by 'Dirty Trucker', Brian Thomas Evans.
There were several ways this could've been cheated, but Evan decided against delivering anything less than an
actual punch to his face. He demanded Brian punch him as hard as he could while a portion of a red boxing
glove be taped to his forehead. Brian admitted to me having gone easy on him until he was just fed up with
Evan saying he needed him to punch harder. The shot used in the film is the final take where Brian punched
Evan as hard as he could.
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PROPANE vs. DIESEL
as remembered by Evan Glodell
The flamethrower we used in the movie was actually the third one we built. They all worked, but we kept
wanting it to be bigger and shoot further. First it ran off propane, then propane and gasoline, but the
propane didn't provide quite enough pressure to be terrifying and the gasoline burned so clean that there
was no smoke. So kind of at the last minute before we shot the scene where me and Tyler test the
flamethrower, I switched it to run off of CO2 and diesel fuel. The flamethrower was an object of fear for all
of us throughout the shoot, but once the cameras roll and everybody is excited you always go a little bigger.
I unloaded the whole CO2 tank into the fuel chamber and it went well above 200PSI, much higher than we
had ever been brave enough to try. The fear and surprise in the scene when it poured out 2 gallons of diesel
in about a quarter-of-a-second and made a huge mushroom cloud is very real.
The second shot we did as it was getting dark, when we really opened the nozzle up and made that epic
fireball in the sky, was one of the most surreal moments for me because I was standing right next to it... It
was so unbelievably huge - I was in complete awe.
COATWOLF STUNT WORK
DESERT BIRTHDAY PICK UP SHOTS
I had planned all these cool stunts that I was so
excited to do for the movie. There’s a scene
where my character gets hit by a car on a
motorcycle. I wanted to make it as real as
possible, so I had this idea - we were gonna
shoot an angle where the motorcycle was ratchet
strapped to the front of the car and then I would
get on it and roll onto the hood of the car while
it was driving full speed. Once the bike was on
the front of the car, the suspension couldn’t
handle the weight, so to get the front of the car
high enough off the ground, two people
crammed into the hatchback of the Camaro. We
are driving through this intersection with me and
the bike on the front of the car, Joel the DP
driving (a demand he had made before we
started shooting) and Paul and Pallas in the trunk.
We hit a bump and the tires of the motorcycle
caught the road and started pulling me and the
bike under the front of the car, Joel slammed on
the brakes and I jumped off, extremely pissed
that I had almost just been killed. I walked around
in circles, looking for someone to blame, a
moment later realizing that I had orchestrated
the whole thing.
The Coatwolf crew and I rolled out to the desert
fully stocked with guns, alcohol, film equipment,
and the Medusa car.! Our mission: 1) complete
pick up shots for the end sequence of Bellflower.
And 2) celebrate Evan's 30th birthday.! We
arrived about 50 miles east of Victorville,
California just as the sun was setting and quickly
completed our shot for the day, leaving the rest
of the night to celebrate.! In almost complete
darkness, the boys started a bonfire and set up
tents.! Very quickly the guns and ammo came out
and I got to take a!turn!at killing the surrounding
cacti.! Towards the end of the night I decided to
present Evan with his favorite birthday "cake" - a
box of Nutty Bars -!but realized I forgot to pick
up candles.! So the obvious solution was to
douse the box in gasoline and set the whole thing
on fire.! I didn't realize exactly what I was getting
myself into... I had to carry this burning box about
30 feet without tripping over the shrubs and
rocks in darkness.! We all sang happy birthday to
Evan as he extinguished his "cake" and took a huge
bite of his smoldering dessert.! In true Coatwolf
fashion, we played with fire and didn't get
burned.
as remembered by Evan Glodell
as remembered by Chelsea St John
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DIRECTOR NOTE
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As I get older, I find myself fully obsessing over
the practical application of art - films in
particular - in our society. I believe that they
are here to almost magically fix rifts and help
us all grow as people and better understand
each other. This does not mean that anyone as
a filmmaker or artist has to give out answers or
think they know anything at all. I believe it
comes naturally when you let go and just do
whatever it is you think you are supposed to
do. I also am a strong believer that stories on
film should be told in an exciting way –
whatever that means. To me I suppose it
translates into tons of fire, violence and
insanity, but if I thought I was putting
something negative into the world, I would
most likely burn it before I would let anyone
see it.
Evan Glodell
CONTACT INFO
COATWOLF PRODUCTIONS:
WRITER / DIRECTOR
Evan Glodell - [email protected]
PRODUCER
Vincent Grashaw - [email protected]
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FOREIGN SALES CONTACT:
Visit Films
89 5th Ave. #806!
New York, NY 10003
[email protected]
+1.718.312.8210
BELLFLOWER
© 2011. Coatwolf Productions. All rights reserved.
www.coatwolf.com