19th & Wilson, Inc.

<body topmargin="0" leftmargin="0" rightmargin="0" bottommargin="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" text="#FFFFFF" bgcolor="#525252" style="background-repeat: no-repeat; background-attachment: fixed" background="../images/sub-main.jpg"> <div align="left"> <table border="0" width="465" id="table1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="20" height="452" align="left"> <tr> <td valign="top"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace: none"> <font color="#000000"><b> <span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Arial"><a name="3"></a></span></b></font> <b> <span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black">19th & Wilson Shoots Their 6th Short Film - Techfellas</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace: none"> <font color="#000000"> <span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Arial"> August 1st, 2005<br> <span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black">19th & Wilson wrapped up production on their latest short film titled <b><i>Techfellas</i></b>, a satire of the popular film <b><i> Goodfellas</i></b> by Martin Scorsese. The film is a comical look at the parallels between everyday scenarios from an Information Technology (I.T.) field perspective and actual scenes from <b><i> Goodfellas.</i></b> The short parody will be made available on the 19th & Wilson website as viral video vignettes following a staggered schedule. This will be the latest project for the Northern Virginia-based independent film company whose next project is the full-length feature <b><i>Left Clique</i></b>, (another comedy centered on the IT world). "Our objective with this project is to create a buzz on the internet and gain interest from potential investors to finance <b><i>Left Clique</i></b>. I know <b><i> Napoleon Dynamite</i></b> was initially a short film and because audiences thought the story and character were hilarious it led to funding for the full length version," says Director Eric Espejo who joined 19th & Wilson in 2002.<br>  <br> There was a special treat for the cast and crew on set when 19th & Wilson's own publicist Ben Roa, who plays a role in <b><i> Techfellas, </i></b>brought in his uncle Alvin Anson, who recently played a speaking role in Miramax's <b><i> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.miramax.com/thegreatraid/">The Great Raid</a></i></b>. Ben and Alvin attended the Red Carpet premiere of the film at the Uptown Theatre in Washington D.C. "It was my first taste of Hollywood...what an experience rubbing elbows with some big names in the industry. It's only a matter of time until 19th & Wilson will be part of one of these events," expresses Ben. Alvin got to work with Director John Dahl and actors Benjamin Bratt, James Franco, and Connie Nielsen among others. "Meeting Alvin was inspiring for the cast and crew - he's proof that hard work, perseverance, and talent can lead to success in this industry," comments Aaron Goodmiller, who as CEO, showed his commitment to his company by fulfilling the role of Production Manager, ensuring all went smoothly for the two day weekend shoot.<br>  <br> The <b><i>Techfellas</i></b> concept derived from emails and office horror stories exchanged between 19th & Wilson Producers Aaron Goodmiller, Richard Friend, Eric Espejo, and Donnie Conty. Writing most of the script was accomplished by Richard Friend who primarily is responsible for all graphic design elements of the company on top of producing. "I've had so many people come up to me and comment on what a great concept this was," said Art Director Richard Friend. "And that's the most rewarding aspect—watching it come to life. When actors are on the set laughing as hard as we are, I know it's working." For more information about 19th & Wilson please visit <a style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; text-underline: single" href="http://www.19thandwilson.com"> www.19thandwilson.com</a>, and to keep abreast of their latest short film check the Techfellas section of the website <a style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; text-underline: single" href="../techfellas"> www.19thandwilson.com/techfellas</a>, feel free to also register to receive updates.</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace: none"> <b> <a name="1"></a> Exclusive 19w Interview: A First Look at Left Clique</b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace: none"> June 22, 2005<br> Eric Espejo is a busy man these days. The 19th & Wilson VP is also the writer/director of the upcoming feature, <i>Left Clique</i>—the first full-length film undertaken by the independent studio. In this exclusive interview with 19w.com, Eric sheds some light on the eagerly anticipated geek comedy.<br> <br> LET'S START WITH THE NAME, "<i>LEFT CLIQUE</i>". GIVE US SOME INSIGHT ON ITS MEANING.<br> A brief synopsis of the story would be to say that it's about a guy who's been faced with being labeled and associated with a certain clique of people throughout school and later on even in the corporate world of office politics. Then it's just a matter of play on words with regards to a left click button of a mouse, and the story being centered on a group of 'techies" at the office.<br> <br> TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT I.T. NEVER ENDS, AND HOW IT INSPIRED THE WRITING OF THIS FILM.<br> When 19th & Wilson was just starting out we were so eager to start learning and experiencing filmmaking that we wanted to start shooting anything. We would exchange emails and vote on what would be a good subject for a short film. Most of us at 19th & Wilson are in the Information Technology field and going on the sound advice of 'write what you know" we decided to film a sort of day in the life of a stereotypical Help Desk guy. When we all started sharing war stories it was evident that stuff that happens at the office from the IT side of the house can be hilarious. It was also funny with regards to the type of characters that are in IT to the actual customers, the USERS. With the success of a film like <i>Office Space</i> we felt that a story about IT guys could definitely be marketable, and when people told us they enjoyed <i>ITNE</i> it justified going forward with <i>Left Clique</i>.<br> <br> IT IS MORE THAN MERELY A FULL-LENGTH VERSION OF <i>I.T. NEVER ENDS</i>, THOUGH, CORRECT? ELABORATE A BIT ON THE GENERAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO.<br> In some ways a short film has a lot less restrictions as far as story and structure. You can get away with a nonlinear method of entertaining an audience when the running time is a mere 5-10 mins. When you're going to attempt to entertain and keep an audience's attention for at least 90 mins. then it has to have a solid story. Everyone knows that the most important thing is the story so to me it was about finding the story within IT. It's still about a group of IT guys but there's going to be a lot of support in characters from people involved with office politics to non technical people such as the Users. While <i>ITNE</i> didn't have a specific story, (it basically followed around a 'techie" for a day), <i>Left Clique</i> will have a clear central character and a story unrelated to <i>ITNE</i>.<br> <br> <i>LEFT CLIQUE</i> INTRODUCES A WHOLE NEW CAST OF CHARACTERS. CARE TO TELL US ABOUT ANY IN PARTICULAR?<br> I think Phil the security guy is one of my favorite characters. He's paranoid because he feels like anyone at anytime can read his email or see where's he's been on the web, etc. However, it also amazes me how little people know about security and their own personal PC's and while Phil can exaggerate at times, he isn't far from the truth when it comes to some particular organizations. <br> <br> YOU'VE STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF "WRITING WHAT YOU KNOW." YOU'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE I.T. INDUSTRY--CAN YOU ELABORATE ON WHY THIS WORKS SO SUCCESSFULLY?<br> Robert McKee is a very well known "guru" of screenwriting and a good chapter in his book about story and structure describes what is and why there is CLICHÉ. Filmmakers, especially Indies, will always try to avoid being cliché. Well, cliché as Robert McKee describes it, is when a writer does not know enough about a subject and attempts to write about it. The character he creates and the dialogue that he writes then becomes cliché because that writer will turn to what he's seen in film or television to guide him in writing for that unknown subject. That's why you'll notice, (if you watch "behind the scenes" or "making of…"), a lot of the great Directors and/or Writers talking about all the extensive research they've done in regards to the subject of that particular film. Having said all that, it has definitely helped me in writing the script because my research is my day job.<br> <br> DESCRIBE THE PROCESS OF WRITING THIS SCREENPLAY. WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST DIFFICULT ASPECT?<br> The process is rewrite after rewrite. Once you have the skeleton of the story then you have to really try draft after draft to get the flow and the content to a comfortable level of having someone else set eyes on it. The most difficult aspect has been time. Since I'm not a full-time writer, finding time to write and get into a rhythm without interruption is tough. It can definitely lead to writer's block when you step away from the story for over a week.<br> <br> IN THE SAME VEIN, WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST ENJOYABLE PART OF THE PROCESS?<br> Collaborating with the team and visualizing scenes and characters are the most fun. Writing comedy is tricky. What's hilarious to me might not be to someone else so you have to trust your instincts and you have to tell stories or jokes to your friends…if they laugh at it then you hope you're on the right track.<br> <br> WILL THIS FILM SHOW THE I.T. FIELD IN A PARTICULARLY GOOD OR BAD LIGHT, OR CAN WE ASSUME THAT THE SETTING IS REALLY ALL IN FUN—IN OTHER WORDS, YOU WON'T HAVE TO BE AN I.T. GUY TO ENJOY IT.<br> The goal is definitely for everyone to enjoy it and yes it's all in fun. There isn't a hidden agenda to present IT in a negative or positive light. I will say that I have tried my best to stay true to the industry as far as the language and technology is concerned. After we screened <i>ITNE</i> we had "techies" come up to us and say that we got it right as far as their jobs were concerned. Another concern of mine was to not get too technical or else you lose the non-technical audience. However, again to borrow from Robert McKee, people go to movies to experience the unfamiliar and I think I needed to stay true to the technical side to get the audience interested, but present it in a comical way. As for the 'techie" audience, I think they'll enjoy it too because they can empathize with the main characters and while it's not the <i>Backdraft</i> for IT guys it certainly tries to clear up some of the stereotypes of their profession.<br> <br> HOW MUCH OF WHAT WE'LL SEE IN LEFT CLIQUE IS BASED ON YOUR ACTUAL EXPERIENCE? ANY PARTICULAR WAR STORIES?<br> There are a lot of traits that I've integrated into certain characters that have derived from co-workers. A lot of the dialogue is what I hear everyday. There is one particular scene that actually happened exactly the way I wrote it but I don't want to give it away…you'll have to find out or even guess which one it is.<br> <br> <i>Left Clique</i> is scheduled to be in pre-production in late 2005. Be sure to visit the official <a target="_blank" href="../LeftClique/index.htm">Left Clique site</a> for updates in the coming weeks.<b><br>  </b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace: none"> <b> 19th & Wilson Announces Opening of 19w Shop</b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace: none"> May 13, 2005<font face="Arial"><br> </font>You can now show your support for independent film by purchasing authentic 19th & Wilson apparel and other merchandise! 19w announces the opening of the 19w Shop (link), offering t-shirts, hats, coffee mugs, messenger bags and more! <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace: none"> The 19w Shop is part of Cafepress.com, a revolutionary custom gift company with over 2 million customers. “This is a chance for people to make a donation, and actually get something in return”, says 19w chief Aaron Goodmiller. Indeed, with every purchase, a portion goes toward funding the next 19th & Wilson project. “Obviously, not everyone is in the position to be able to invest in a film”, explains Goodmiller. “But folks are constantly telling us how they’d like to help. This is a great way for them to support us, and they get some really cool merchandise as well.” </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace: none"> The shop currently offers a variety of short and long sleeve t-shirts for men and women, sweatshirts, coffee mugs, hats, messenger bags and stickers. Each features the 19th and Wilson logo, and many sport the new “creatively independent” tagline. “19w is growing; people are seeing our work and we’re moving into full-length features—this is another opportunity to get our name out there.” </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace: none"> You can get your own 19th and Wilson gear now by visiting <span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Helvetica"> <a style="text-decoration: underline; text-underline: single" href="http://www.cafepress.com/19thandwilson"> <span style="font-family: Arial"><font color="#000000"> www.cafepress.com/19thandwilson</font></span></a></span>, or by clicking on the 19w Shop link above.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace: none" align="right"> <font color="#000000" size="1"><span style="font-family: Arial"> <a name="5th" href="#1"><span style="text-decoration: none"> Back to top</span></a></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace: none"> <b> <a name="2"></a> 19th & Wilson Completes Fifth Short Film</b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace: none"> <font face="Arial" size="2" color="#000000">April 9, 2005<br> The creative minds at 19th & Wilson have completed filming of Home Invasion, a seven-minute short written and produced for the Amazon.com/Tribeca Film Festival Online Contest. </font> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace: none"> <span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Arial">Taking advantage of a mere 30-minute window at dusk, directors Aaron Goodmiller and Eric Espejo filmed an extensive tracking shot on location in Reston, VA that had been practiced the entire day. “It was one of those things where we knew—if we want to do this right, we may only get one shot”, explains Espejo. “We can’t control that kind of lighting, or the weather, so we simply made sure we were prepared to get the shot we wanted when the time came.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace: none"> <span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Arial">The practice paid off, as they were not only able to get the shot they wanted—they managed to film three takes.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace: none"> <span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Arial">The film’s premise centers on a mysterious man’s journey to a residence, where a housewife appears alone and unprotected. “Of course, there’s a twist” adds Goodmiller. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace: none"> <span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Arial">Home Invasion will be available soon on 19thandWilson.com.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace: none" align="right"> <font color="#000000" size="1"><span style="font-family: Arial"> <a name="5th0" href="#1"><span style="text-decoration: none"> Back to top</span></a></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace: none"> <b> <span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Arial">New Look for 19th & Wilson Website</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace: none"> <font color="#000000" face="Arial" size="2">May 12, 2005<br> If you've followed the work of independent film studio 19th & Wilson, Inc. over the past couple of years, you've undoubtedly noticed the recent change in their website. You may have also logged on during their lengthy construction phase, and wondered exactly what they were up to. "When 19th & Wilson began making films," says CEO Aaron Goodmiller,  "we knew that we needed at least a placeholder—an online presence. We've come so far in the last couple years, that we simply needed to update the site to better reflect who we are—and where we're going." </span></font></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace: none"> <font color="#000000"> <span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Arial">Like so many other small businesses that enjoy a taste of success, the filmmakers were faced with the need for rapid expansion. "We've made it to the point where we've completed several short films, and have a number of larger projects in the works," explains Goodmiller. "The website we had just wasn't going to be able to handle it anymore."</span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font color="#000000"> <span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Arial">Enter 19W Art Director Richard Friend, who was only too eager to revamp the site. "When we initially took 19thandWilson.com online a few years ago, we knew it'd be a work in progress. It was really just an online presence to hold us over while we made some progress with the films themselves—which was obviously the priority." That progress came fast and furiously. "Within just a few months, we knew we'd have to revisit the website.” </span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font color="#000000"> <span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Arial">The updated site is geared towards promoting the Northern Virginia-based independent studio itself foremost, rather than any particular film. “From a marketing standpoint, we understand that first-time visitors aren’t going to recognize our films—but our site can introduce them to and reinforce our branding, and that’s key.” </span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font color="#000000"> <span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Arial">The branding that Friend speaks of begins with the 19w logo, and its dynamic intersection of roads and filmstrips. Gritty, yet elegant backgrounds and other design elements appear throughout the site, carrying forth the look and feel of 19w through color and typography.</span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font color="#000000"> <span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Arial">Goodmiller was also pleased to finally be able to feature the work his crew has labored so diligently on for the past several months. “Now that we have an actual filmography, it’s great to be able to showcase it.” Both the Filmography and Current Projects pages give visitors a quick visual reference of 19w’s work, along with a synopsis of each film. In addition, the links will eventually direct visitors to complete sub-sites for each project. “The bottom line is that we’re looking to achieve a more comprehensive site. One that will give folks a glimpse at the films we’ve made, as well as the projects on the horizon. More importantly, we want to keep them coming back.” </span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font color="#000000"> <span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Arial">The new 19w Shop—another exciting feature of the updated site—also promises to be a welcome addition, as fans can show their support by purchasing authentic 19w shirts and other merchandise. </span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font color="#000000"> <span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Arial">Be sure to bookmark 19thandWilson.com to stay abreast of all the latest happenings!</span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace: none" align="right"> <font color="#000000" size="1"><span style="font-family: Arial"> <a name="5th1" href="#1"><span style="text-decoration: none"> Back to top</span></a></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace: none"> <font color="#000000"><b> <span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Arial"><a name="4"></a> 19th & Wilson Enjoys Triple Premiere Success</span></b></font></p> <font color="#000000" face="Arial" size="2">January 24, 2005<br> Cast, crew and fans alike gathered at Jimmy’s Old Town Tavern in Herndon, VA—braving the elements to show their support for independent filmmakers 19th & Wilson, who premiered three short films at the popular establishment.</span></font></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font color="#000000"> <span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Arial">Jimmy’s had been the filming location of the 19w short, Happy Hour, the previous winter—a shoot that also saw plenty of bad weather. Actors braved icy roads in the wee hours of the morning to make the film, and were happy to do the same to be a part of its premiere.</span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font color="#000000"> <span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Arial">The night marked a special occasion for the indie studio, as it was in fact its very first premiere of any kind. “We’d finished three short films prior to Happy Hour”, notes 19w CEO Aaron Goodmiller, “but were very low key in terms of premiering them at the time.” Because many of the people involved in the making of Happy Hour had also participated in the previous shorts, “This was the perfect place to show them all at once.”</span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font color="#000000"> <span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Arial">The premiere opened with the geek comedy, I.T. Never Ends, which was punctuated by laughter at all the right moments. “It was really great to see a room full of people reacting that way ”, said Donnie Conty, one of the producers of I.T.N.E. “There were a lot of rather technical jokes in there—and they just got them all. It was amazing.”</span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font color="#000000"> <span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Arial">The comedy was followed by 19w’s highly experimental drama, Pictures, starring Demetrius Parker and Dana Hicks—both of whom were tasked with speaking a fictional language throughout the short; essentially acting out a charade. Filmed in stark black and white, the emotional drama may have prompted more than a few extra drink orders at Jimmy’s!</span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font color="#000000"> <span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Arial">Last, but certainly not least, Happy Hour hit the screen. The terrific staff at Jimmy’s were as thrilled as anyone, as their ambient tavern took center stage. “Jimmy and his entire staff were so great, so accommodating—we literally couldn’t have done any of this without them”, said Goodmiller. “From start to finish, their hospitality was just incredible.” </span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font color="#000000"> <span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Arial">The night was filled with laughter, fond recollections and good cheer. “It was a great night for our favorite tavern, and it was a great night for 19th & Wilson.”</span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace: none" align="right"> <font color="#000000" size="1"><span style="font-family: Arial"> <a name="5th2" href="#1"><span style="text-decoration: none"> Back to top</span></a></span></font><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace: none" align="right"> <a href="main.htm" style="text-decoration: none"></a> <a href="aboutus.htm"></a><a href="black.htm"></a> <a href="cp.htm"></a><a href="cu.htm"></a> <a href="donations.htm"></a><a href="flimography.htm"></a> <a href="ln-1.htm"></a><a href="main.htm"></a></td> </tr> </table> </div> </body>