Richard LeMay

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Wednesday night Streetwise Pictures partnered with Sawyer Studios, The Circuit and Variety Magazine to throw a post Tribeca/pre Cannes party.  500 people showed up at the swanky club Arena and danced their asses off.  The open bar helped.  It was a great night with some cool people.

Doug Weiser, Alex Emanuel, Kim Jackson and me

Meghan Mahoney

Thakur Wint, Deidre Johnson & me

Writer Douglas Day Stewart (OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN, BLUE LAGOON), Judy Stewart & Shady Day Stewart

Gustavo Camelot & Kim

Actor Ben Weaver (LOVE POSSIBLY)

Last night I had a reading of my new script SUMMER OF AIDEN POST.  I got some amazing actors to bring life to these characters.  I’m slated to shoot it in June and I had never heard it out loud before.  Very exciting!

The other day, I went to Sullivan Hall for the CD launch of FL Jones’ CD: BECOMING MYSELF.  The band was tight and FL killed it!  A great night and the crowed went wild.  For those who don’t know, FL was the music supervisor for WHIRLWIND.  It’s a great album so if you don’t have it, get it at www.fljones.com.

I’ve found some amazing actors for LOVE POSSIBLY.  These guys are gonna kill it.  I’m still looking for a 40-something actor if anyone knows someone…

I’ve been casting for the new web series that I’m directing.  The title is LOVE POSSIBLY and it’s a fucking riot. Haven’t quite found the perfect cast yet but cross your fingers…

Brent Hartinger from AFTERELTON.com asks Richard about where the characters in WHIRLWIND came from.  To read the interview, click here.

 I watched a rough cut of the feature I produced in the Bahamas.  I am so excited because it looks amazing.  I say this knowing there is still so far to go but already you can see a great story.  Award winning director Kareem Mortimer and editor Maria Cataldo have created a beautiful story about several people who’s lives intertwine for a brief period on the island of Eleuthera.  This movie touches on the political and religious climate in the Bahamas and how each life is effected by it.  I have really high hopes for this one.  Yay!

After being chosen as the closing night film for the Long Island Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, WHIRLWIND won the jury award for best feature!  

It’s official.  Wolfe bought the US/Canada rights to WHIRLWIND.  It’s release date is January 27th.  They have also signed on as our official sales agent for foreign distribution as well.  As I said earlier, Wolfe is the largest company to distribute films in that genre so this is really exciting.  Great news for the end of a long year.  I can’t believe I forgot to mention it.  Oh well…

Award winning Gay titles boost aggressive DVD release screening schedule for 2009
November 3, 2008, Santa Monica, Calif.—Wolfe Video has announced it has acquired North American rights to several acclaimed gay titles at this year’s AFM Market.
Among the titles announced by Wolfe Video head Maria Lynn are “Whirlwind” and “Mulligans.”
“Whirlwind” A smart and sexy exposé about the complexity of gay relationships, is a touching, funny ensemble film exploring non-monogamy, commitment, friendship and more—against the urban backdrop of the Big Apple. WHIRLWIND hales from director Richard Le May (200 American) and Emmy-winning writer Jason Brown (Tender Places). The film’s cast also includes talented stage actors: Bryan West (Hairspray), Alexis Suarez, Desmond Dutcher and Mark Ford. WHIRLWIND won the Audience Award for Best Feature at Atlanta’s OUT ON FILM Festival, and was also showcased at prestigious festivals OUTFEST in Los Angeles and NEWFEST. DVD release date is January 27, 2009.
“Mulligans” A young man invites his college buddy home for the summer holidays and a secret is revealed that threatens to tear his perfect family apart. When his mother discovers her husband in an unspeakable affair, the family’s world begins to collapse. The summer is ripe with adventure, revelations, and betrayal as this family learns how to laugh, cry and love again. The film is directed by Chip Hale and starring Charlie David (Dante’s Cove), Thea Gill (Dante’s Cove), Dan Payne (Stargate) and Derek Baynham. DVD release date is Spring 2009.
The acquisitions are part of an aggressive slate of gay titles for Wolfe Video following a year of successful lesbian releases.

PRESS CONTACT:  Jim Dobson / INDIE PR (818) 753-0700   jim@indie-pr.com.

4370 Tujunga Ave. #105 Studio City, California 91604 (818) 753-0700

WHIRLWIND is screening tonight as part of this years Pittsburgh Gay and Lesbian Film Festival.  I can’t make it due to prior commitments but the writer/producer Jason Brown will be there for a Q&A afterward.  It’s also his home town so I hope it’s a great crowd.

Last week I went to the Diesel Jeans 30th anniversary bash. It was actually a concert with MIA, N.E.R.D., Chaka Khan and Hot Chip. About 5000 people filled this huge tent in Brooklyn and drank free all night. I was in the VIP section and got a bird’s eye view of Chaka Khan singing her ass off. She’s fat as a house but she still sings. All in all a hot night.

I just got word that the Long Island Gay and Lesbian Film Festival has chosen WHIRLWIND as their closing night film. That is pretty cool to have your film showcased like that. Hope all you Long Island residents will come check it out.

WHIRLWIND has been chosen as the closing night film for the Long Island Gay and Lesbian Film Festival this year. Other festival stops are Chicago, Pittsburgh and Memphis.

The other day, I was invited to the filming of the Broadway show RENT which will be released in theaters in September. Even though there was a movie of RENT, nothing compares to the live show which is amazing. This is me and the rediculously talented Karmine Alers who played Mimi for years on Broadway. Interesting side note: The role of Mimi was actually written for Karmine but it took her a few years to get it. Better late than never I say. In my opinion, Karmine’s Mimi is hands down the best I’ve seen…and I’ve seen 10 different Mimis. Karmine also stars in WHIRLWIND which I directed…and she’s fucking great!

We had to shoot a scene where the two lead characters jump from a huge cliff as a sort of right of passage. Most of the crew jumped as well. My ass stayed safely on the ground. Call me a pussy if you want. Anyway, look at that drop. The rigging is to capture the fall from above. We did three set ups so the cast had to jump three times. Better them than me. It looks great though.

We have been on the island of Eleuthera for a week. The difference here is that this island is beautiful! Every where you look beauty slaps you in the face. Every day we go to set and kind of take a moment to take it all in. And the photography is amazing! Good stuff happening here. The Red camera is pretty awesome as well. The whole movie is taking on an epic feel.

Friday we were shooting in the getto in Nassau. It started out as a fun night. Shooting a murder scene in an ally. It was looking good.

Then a neighbor gets drunk and starts screaming crazy shit at us.

Our security doesn’t show up, leaving us in a rough neighborhood.

A snake falls from a tree and almost lands on two cast members.

It begins to rain and everyone rips their shirts off to protect the camera. Someone throws a tarp over us and we all start taking pictures. It looks like a gay night club under there.

Then the night takes a turn and we end up spending 9 hours shooting a scene which ends a 17 hour day.

We were all exausted…and still am.

The photography is beautiful though.

I’m on set. We’ve just completed our first scene. I didn’t think we’d make it but we’re here…and it looks really good!

So last night some of the cast and crew went to a special night of music and spoken word at a place called the Hub. Our set designer owns it.

Let me tell you, that was the best thing I’ve done since I’ve been here. Some really talented people. One of our cast members got up and did some spoken word that she wrote and she was great.

But the highlight of the night was a guy who sang and rapped with so much feeling and energy that the whole place was dancing with him. It was an amazing performance.

Then I went home and slipped into a coma.

In case you don’t know, there is a serial killer here in Nassau that is targeting gay men.

So yesterday, I’m having a meeting with the woman who runs the wardrobe department. She’s a lovely Bahamian woman who lost a friend to this killer. So she tells me that she saw a psychic and the woman told her that the killer is a prominant man who is married with two children, he will kill again and that he is “cleansing”.

So my mind wonders off to the word “cleansing” which disturbs me for some reason. So while I am zoning out, I’m not really listening to the wardrobe woman telling me she has a tingling sensation radiating down her arm and she wants to see a doctor.

I’m like “You’re fine. Let’s not even entertain anything negative.” I escort her out and say “See you tomorrow. You’re fine!”

As I shut the door I thought to myself: “If she dies, who’s gonna do wardrobe?”

Then I thought: “Wow. I’m an asshole.”

OK all you filmmies, when shipping a 3 ton grip truck out of the country, make sure you listen carefully to your broker and get all the necessary paperwork.

That said, yesterday our equipment house in Miami notified us that they don’t actually own the truck that they rented us.

Meaning: they don’t have the title. The bank does.

Meaning: Our truck will be held back in customs an extra three days.

Meaning: I’m lying on the floor in the fetal position begging for ice cream…and the blood of one of three individuals. (I won’t say who.)

Alot of work was done to change the schedule so we could shoot on time. I won’t bore you with the details but so far, so good.

But that all depends on what you call “good”.

Got to the Bahamas last week. I am producing a feature here which will shoot in Nassau and Eleuthera. I can’t wait to go to Eleuthera. It is supposed to be beautiful.

FYI filmmakers: the Bahamas Film Commission is so keen on getting more film business out here that they have bent over backwards to help this production in every way imaginable. Free flights, accomodations, discounts on alot of shit and friendly attitudes.

Seriously, think about shooting here. It’s very cool.