Yeah, it looks like Woodstock and San Diego are the last festivals before being shown to potential distributors. But if it gets picked up, maybe it'll play in Calgary at your local theater!

Also, the Hollywood Reporter has their review up for the film here: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/...04112447.story

It looks like even though they weren't wowed by the film as a whole, they enjoyed your script.

Any chance it will be at TIFFB*?






*Tulsa Intercounty Film Festival & BBQ

Sadly we didn't make the cut.

Another month, another update!

Norman played great at the San Diego Film Festival. Emily VanCamp won Best Actress there. I was on hand with actress Camille Mana and Dan Keston, a producer, for Saturday night's Q&A. I was left to my own devices for Sunday afternoon's Q&A and had a great time both days.

The same weekend it played to another fantastic reception in Woodstock, NY where our editor Robert Hoffman and film won Best Editing.

A new review from Variety out of Montreal: http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117...ryid=1043&cs=1

And a preview review out of San Diego: http://www.sdcitybeat.com/sandiego/a...-festival.html

Anyways, I'm happy to announce that the festival circuit lives on! The movie played last night in Chicago (home of both Andrew Bird and home to my Alma Mater where I originally wrote the script) as part of the Chicago Film Festival and will play there again on the 17th and 19th. Here are the details: http://www.chicagofilmfestival.com/f...hp?show=norman

It's also playing again in Hawaii at the Hawaii International Film Festival at the Dole Cannery! You can go get some pineapple, go through the maze, and see the movie! It's October 24th and here are the details: http://hiff.org/program/index.php/fi...il/norman_2010

And apparently the Wikipedia page is up: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_(2010_film) That makes it all real, right?!

Anyways, if you're anywhere near Chicago or Hawaii, please check it out and lemme know what you think.

I'm anxious to see it. Will probably wait till it reaches DVD, unless it plays at the Phoenix or Sedona film festivals next year.

So was this enough to get you an agent? Are you working on anything new? Anything larger in scope? Or are you still busy with Norman now?

Best of luck on getting distribution.

a review that was on Roger Eberts blog site done by Bill Stamets
orman" (USA) Like the recent "Easy A," the likeable "Norman" is about a high school kid who tells a big lie. Dan Byrd, a supporting character there and a regular on TV's "Cougar Town," plays the wry title teen who starts a rumor about his tumor and fakes a chemo side effect. Yet he gets the girl, played by Emily VanCamp from "Brothers & Sisters" and "Everwood." Also appearing are Richard Jenkins as Norman's father with terminal stomach cancer and Adam Goldberg as the English teacher. Chicago musician Andrew Bird scores and performs in the fest's best bet for high schoolers. 3:30 p.m. Friday, 6 p.m. Sunday and 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. (Stamets)

Thanks Rypro for posting that!

The dvd release should be a good one. But the film's gonna be a great get for distributors, so I'm thinking you'll see it in a theater first. (The dvd however is gonna have all the deleted scenes, and some of my favorite stuff will be in there.)

As for an agent, the sale/option of the script many years ago netted me an agent. Since then I've done a couple write-for-hires, and most recently adapted a novel by John Feinstein (the sports journalist.)

I've finished some other specs two of which were fairly epic in scope, the third was another small film that hasn't gone out yet really. Because they're so different from Norman, it's been hard to get traction with them (especially the larger ones). I also have a TV pitch that's done pretty well... I just need to write the pilot. And I started on a spec a couple weeks ago, which is similar tone-wise to Norman but for more of an adult crowd. But I'm hoping that the reviews for Norman and it getting picked up for distribution will ratchet things up a notch business-wise.

Thanks for all the support from everyone. If you live in Chicago or Honolulu, be sure to check it out.

Richard Jenkins gave "Norman" a recommendation on AICN in an interview about "Let Me In."

Hey, cool, thanks for posting that. Here's the link if anyone wants to check it out: http://www.aintitcool.com/node/46973

Mighty nice of him to plug it. Glad the script got a shout out as well as Jonathan, Dan and Emily.

Nice, I already bought my ticket for Norman at HIFF before I saw this thread. I'll let you know what I think. Also, when I was buying it, the box office person said "Oh yeah, I thought that one looked interesting," so it sounds like you've got good buzz.

Awesome!

My brother used to be stationed in Honolulu and used to go the festival all the time (used to be called Luis Vutton Festival?). I think a few of his army buddies will be going, and I'm so happy a DVDtalker will be there!

Can't wait to hear your thoughts. Hope you enjoy it and thanks for going.

Thanks for the update I am looking forward to checking this one out!

Congratulations on winning a Silver Hugo at the Chicago International Film Festival!

Thanks so much!

Looks like a bunch of reviews are coming out from Chicago. Here's one of the first I found: http://www.theparallaxreview.com/ciff_2010/norman.html

Thx for bumping the tread will have to check it out. Do you know if its making its way to Miami?

I hope so. If I remember correctly, Jonathan, the director, is originally from Miami or his parents live there or something like that. I know he has a connection to Florida, I just can't remember right now off the top of my head. But if it doesn't make if there with a festival, it'll definitely be there through distribution.

[Awkward silence]

Soooo.... were you able to make it?

Congrats! I'll definitely check it out -- but most likely on DVD.

Yeah, sorry, things have been crazy with going to all the HIFF films, and then a big trip I took a few days after that. Still recovering from that and trying to catch up.

But yeah, I thought the movie was fantastic. I highly recommend that anyone who has an opportunity to see the film should.

There were only about 25 people at the HIFF screening. I think part of it is that American indie cinema isn't very big at our festival. We're definitely more focused on Asian cinema. Everyone seemed to enjoy the film though.

One thing that stood out to me is that I thought the casting was fantastic. Everyone seemed great for their parts, and I didn't think there any awkward/bad actors.

I thought the film was also very genuine. Nothing really seemed forced or fake. During the Q&A with the director after the screening, people asked twice if the movie was based on real life events, which I think is a testament to the strength of the script.

Direction and cinematography were solid. The director said they were hoping to get a distribution deal worked out in the next few weeks. I hope this gets a wide release, or at least a run on the indie circuit. A great movie like this deserves a chance to be seen.

The only minor quibble I had was with the ending, which just seemed to kind of gloss over the consequences of the revelation without any fallout. But then showing stuff like that would have been kind of a lame ending too. I imagine it must've been a little difficult to figure out how exactly to end it? Anyway, it doesn't really take away from the fantastic film.

Congrats on a fine achievement!

Hey thanks for the report back! Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for making it out to see it.

In regards to the ending, I hear what you're saying. The original ending was drastically different but deemed too dark and depressing. The ending was probably rewritten more than anything else in the script (there might be 5 different versions?) but Jonathan and I settled on the ending as it is now. I will say, even though it's not how I originally saw the end, I've seen this film 10 or so times now and the ending punches me in the gut every time (in a good way!)

Anyways, thanks again for going out. Glad someone here got to see it. Let's keep our fingers crossed for that distribution deal!

Ah, I see. The ending's probably for the best then. A "dark and depressing" ending would probably have been too tough for a film that's already very difficult at times. On reflection, I do like that it ended with a bit of optimism for the poor kid.

Festival train keeps on rolling!

Norman's playing at the Palm Springs International Film Festival on January 14th and 16th (with a special student screening on the 5th). According to the website, the tickets are close to selling out. If anyone's in the area, come check it out! I'll be there for the last two screenings.

http://www.psfilmfest.org/festival/f...d=22486&fid=43

In case anyone is near Palm Springs and is interested in going to the Festival to see Norman, the Friday show is sold out but there are a couple tickets left for Sunday 1/16 @ 2pm. (See link above.)

Also, I got interviewd by the website The Parallax Review out of Chicago re:Norman, writing, career stuff in general in case anyone is interested. Hopefully I'm not too boring or an asshole. It's my first real interview ever and after listening to it I have a few interviewing skills I should probably practice.

Here's the link to their website with the mp3 link at the bottom: http://www.theparallaxreview.com/
Or you can get the podcast right onto your iPod from itunes here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/t...192?i=90251681

(I will say, it's sorta cool being able to search your name on itunes and something pops up!)

Stopping in for a quick update. Palm Springs went really well. Sold out both shows. Dan Byrd was there and it was nice to finally meet him. Great guy. Also had the director there, as well as Camille Mana, Peymon Maskan the music supervisor, and Robert Hoffman, our editor. First time meeting all of them (except for Camille) and as expected they were all wonderful people.

But, if any Floridians check this thread, Norman's playing at the Florida Film Festival on April 9th and 15th. I'm going to try to make it, maybe swing home by Atlanta first, but if anyone is able to make it, lemme know! Here's the webpage: http://www.floridafilmfestival.com/f..._guide/norman/