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++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Actress, writer, friend to spiders. Caught on a bramble near the Hollywood sign. When you tell people you're an actor and writer, they usually have questions like these:
WHAT HAVE I SEEN YOU IN? Sam Raimi's 3D blockbuster OZ The Great and Powerful and his pilot for Fox entitled Rake, NBC's Revolution (pic above), executive producer Steven Spielberg's Extant on CBS, True Blood, The Office, Parks and Rec, Grey's Anatomy and more, at IMDb.
Lucky enough to know about the vibrant theater scene in L.A.? Then maybe you've seen me onstage.
CAN I WATCH ANY OF THAT? Why yes. Yes you can. Below on the right are some videos from work I've done, including the trailer to a short film I recently wrote, produced and starred in entitled Cash for Gold (so far an official selection at the Hollywood Film Festival, Florida Film Festival and Sonoma International Film Festival. Hello, wine country.)
WHAT HAVE YOU WRITTEN?? A number of personal essays, some of which are published on this blog, and some of which you can catch me around town reading aloud for audiences. A short film called Cash for Gold (see above). A television pilot you haven't seen yet.
WHAT ELSE? I'm a pretty good cook, a really good mom, and an irrepressible fidgeter.
Be my guest and look around as long as you'd like. I promise no pushy sales ladies will bug you. I'm glad you're here.
The short film I wrote, produced and star in alongside Navid Negahban has enjoyed a solid year and a half of traveling around the country to festivals, and not often but sometimes my schedule has allowed me to travel with it. I have met some of the most wonderful people on this little journey, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. It's a ton of work, but most things worth it are.
I can't say enough about my dear friend, fellow producer and our director, Robert Enriquez. He's just one of the most talented, heart-centered people I've ever known, and without him this film would absolutely not exist. Thank you, buddy, for challenging me and making me see the possibilities bringing this little story to the world would create. I love you.
And now, I'm so thrilled to say that you can watch the film online for free. I hope you enjoy what you see and that it makes you smile a little, cry a little or maybe a little of both.
So many fellow writers and directors told me we had to try to get into Sonoma. They have a reputation for wining and dining their filmmakers like nobody's business--they pride themselves on treating filmmakers like royalty. I can't wait to give this beautiful part of our home state a visit over the April 2 -6 weekend!
SIFF has been called "One of America's Top Destination Film Festivals". To find out more, check out their site HERE. And check out Cash for GoldHERE.
Cash for Gold will be spending some time in sunny Orlando as an official selection of the Florida Film Festival. Recently named one of the "Coolest Film Festivals in the World" by MovieMaker Magazine, the FFF takes place this year from April 3 - 14. I'll post screening dates here when I have them.
You can see the trailer for the film and more about the cast and creative team HERE.
On July 15, 2013, we held a private screening for select backers, cast, crew, friends and family at the beautiful Boston Court Performing Arts Center. It was a perfect evening. For more pictures, visit our Facebook page. There's also always news on the official website, too.
With my co-star, Navid Negahban, and my co-producer/director, Robert Enriquez.
Finally! You can watch the trailer for my short, Cash for Gold, right here. (If it doesn't show on your screen below, it's also available on the website for the film.)
The music on the trailer is by Priscilla Ahn, a wonderfully talented singer/songwriter who lives here in L.A. I met Priscilla when I was working with her husband, the equally talented and lovely actor Michael Weston, and I became an instant fan of her music. I'm so excited to say she very generously gave us her enthusiastic permission to use parts of her single "Lost Cause" from the album When You Grow Up in our trailer, and she did so in the midst of touring Southeast Asia where she was playing shows and promoting her upcoming album This Is Where We Are. (Side note: Priscilla's blog has wonderful tales and photos of that trip including her first night market in Taipei which made me green with envy. The sights! The people! The food!) Definitely check out her music either at her site or here on iTunes. She's aces.
I hope you enjoy the trailer. Any and all festival news for the film will be updated regularly on the website, so be sure to check in regularly. You can also join us by clicking "like" on our Facebook page. I'd love to see you there.
We're just days away from getting our final QuickTime from our editor and our master copy of the film from the lab. I can't wait to update you with news on our upcoming festival appearances, but in the meantime here's a sneak peek at our key art ~
There will be more at our website--please visit us there!
Director Robert Enriquez talks actor Navid Negahban and me through a shot.
The short film I wrote last year and star in is about midway through post-production, and this morning we launched the website! You can see more about "Cash for Gold" including production pictures like the one above and current news by visiting the site SO CLICK HERE NOW. We anticipate a finished film in May 2013. "Cash for Gold" co-stars the terrific Navid Negahban and is directed by Robert Enriquez. There's also more info about the film in prior posts on this blog.
Looking forward to bringing it to a festival near you!
Taking a break during our final 33 hours of
fundraising to bring you a lovely interview by "Cash for Gold' co-star
and star of Showtime's "Homeland," Navid Negahban. He was on the morning
program yesterday talking about his experience playing terrorist Abu
Nazir and how that sometimes affects his airport experiences ;-).
**UPDATE: After just the first five days of our 17 day campaign, we hit our initial funding goal! I'm overwhelmed by the outpouring of interest and support this story has received. We continue to get new backers every day and will complete the campaign as planned on October 25th. You can see it all right HERE.
The short film I wrote and am currently in pre-production on is entitled Cash for Gold. Here's the story in a nutshell:
When Grace walks into the Queen of Persia Gold Emporium, all she
wants is to get in and out with some desperately needed cash and a shred
of her dignity intact. Things do not look promising when she comes up
against Ehsan, an Iranian-American man with troubles of his own who
works the store's counter under his controlling father's gaze. But does she really see
what's going on? "Cash for Gold" examines the current economic and
ethnic tensions our country grapples with today, and the good that can
happen when we look beyond our prejudices and really see each other.
We've assembled a terrific creative team that includes my co-star Navid Negahban (pictured above) who you might recognize from his starring role as Abu Nazir in Showtime's "Homeland." I'm so excited to bring this story to life with him.
You can watch our director, Robert Enriquez, being a VERY GOOD SPORT in the video above or on our Kickstarter page where you can also read a lot more about this exciting project and contribute! Join us in telling a story about the possibility for good in the world. Thank you!
