For Immediate Release: Harrisburg, 02/08/2000
HARRISBURG NATIVE RETURNS HOME TO SHOOT
FEATURE: HOLLYWOOD ,PA.
Director Greg W. Swartz is returning to his home state of Pennsylvania to shoot his film HOLLYWOOD, PA. Greg grew up in Harisburg and attended University of Pennsylvania, as well as Caledonia University, Glasgow in Scotland. He came to Los Angeles, CA several years ago to become a filmmaker. After working on several projects, he went back home to visit his parents where he came up with a story and developed it into a screenplay. Thus was born HOLLYWOOD, PA, which tells the story of Gordy Crbinak, a failed Hollywood filmmaker who returns to his small hometown of Holly Ridge, Pennsylvania. Refusing to give up on his dreams, he broadcasts the townsfolk’s lives over the Internet. Soon life takes on epic proportions as the town’s quirky locals become global celebrities in Gordy’s real-life Internet soap opera.
With the movie being shot in Pennsylvania, the film will get a first-hand look and feel of what is needed to make the picture look more realistic. Using Greg’s knowledge of the state and its beautiful landscape, no studio fabricated sets will be necessary. The picturesque landscape has attracted tourists from all over, wanting to see the rolling mountains and country living up close. What will make the cinematography even better is that the making of HOLLYWOOD, PA will be shown live over the internet. Therefore, not only will people be able to see Pennsylvania’s beauty on the big screen, but also over the internet!
This is an UNPRECIDENTED attempt to link Gordy’s story with that of the film crew of HOLLYWOOD, PA. The creative team of HOLLYWOOD, PA has decided to live stream the filming process over the Internet for the entire world to see. This will give people across the globe an up-close and personal look at what independent filmmaking entails. This is not a Hollywood gimmick. This is REAL LIFE! The Internet audience will learn first-hand the ins and outs of making a movie. They will share in the pain, passions, struggles and successes of young filmmakers as they embark on an uncharted voyage of discovery.
A digital camera will shoot the cast and crew while they film HOLLYWOOD PA; every aspect of the making of the movie will be exposed. The Internet community will see the good, the bad and the hopefully-not-too-ugly aspects of creating a film while it is being made. A message board will allow the audience to communicate with the cast and crew, allowing the audience to ask questions and discuss topics with the filmmakers, as well as provide feedback. Interactive games utilizing video footage will be introduced to add extra flavor to the project. Though the crew will usually operate disregarding the camera, they will occasionally directly address and interact with the internet.
the first-ever live web-BroaDcast From an independent Movie set
The dream of visiting a real movie set becomes reality as feature film-in-progress, HOLLYWOOD, PA, will demonstrate the digital wonders of the web at www.hollywoodpa.com.
Through daily broadcasts on location in Lancaster/Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, the ever-expanding internet community will not only be able to watch the challenges of independent filmmaking, but also interact with the cast and crew.
“We want people to participate in and feel a part of our little movie,” says writer/director GREG SWARTZ. Together with producers NATE BARLOW and BOB ADLER, he allows life to imitate art as the film’s entire process will unfold as an interactive web event. “This is ‘History in the Making’, and we want it to be fun. Even if things get tense on set, we won’t turn the webcam off,” says SVEN PAPE, web director. He and GERALD STETSON, web producer, will focus exclusively on the online broadcast and the challenge of engaging an audience in the filmmaking experience.
The film itself, a comedy, tells the story of GORDY (Stephen Seeber), a filmmaker who returns from L.A. to his hometown of Holly Ridge, PA. Refusing to give up on his dreams, he broadcasts his entire life over the Internet. Soon, small-town-life takes on epic proportions as the quirky locals become global celebrities in a real-life internet soap opera.
This small production has attracted attention from various “big-name” companies that are actively involved in bringing HOLLYWOOD, PA to life: USA FILMS, YAHOO.COM, SCOUR.COM and PA WIRELESS to name a few. A regular guest on the set will be Webcam-Pioneer Jennifer Ringley from JENNICAM.ORG, who started broadcasting her life three years ago, and currently averages five-million hits per day. Besides playing a part in the film she will also be one of the hosts of www.hollywoodpa.com.
Contact us for immediate interviews.
JENNICAM HOSTS FIRST WEB BROADCAST
FROM AN INDEPENDENT MOVIE SET
Jennifer Ringley, Internet icon of JenniCam.org, joins forces with Hollywood, PA, an independent feature to webcast live on location in Pennsylvania. Ringley will not only play a cameo role in the film, but also host part of the live web stream behind the scenes. At www.hollywoodpa.com the Internet community will be able to both watch the challenges of filmmaking as well as interact with the cast and crew.
Since Ringley started live broadcasting from her dormitory room three years ago, she has attracted an international fan base with an average daily hit rate of 5 million. Internet Surfers can watch her in her apartment at any time of the day, simply by turning to her homepage at www.Jennicam.org. Visiting her site, users can expect to see Ringley engaging in a variety of activities such as working, talking with friends and watching TV. At times, she undresses in front of the camera, which has drawn media controversy. However, her fans consider “Jenni” a true Internet pioneer, who refuses to turn the camera off. Hollywood, PA plans to bring that attitude to the live web casting of their production, committed to showing the reality of filmmaking.
Ringley first attempted live web casting from her dormitory room at Pennsylvania’s Dickinson College with a black and white camera. These images were updated every three minutes. Soon Ringley established such a large following that her server could not supply the necessary capacity. In order to limit the number of hits, she attempted to keep the web address private, and changing it on a regular basis. It had the opposite effect, however. Ringley has since upgraded her hardware and moved to a Washington, DC apartment. JenniCam is now a semi-commercial service, and the veil of privacy has been lifted from its location. For safety reason her apartment is guarded by security officers at all times.
Hollywood, PA is a comedy, following the antics of Gordy, a wannabe filmmaker, who broadcasts his entire life via the Internet from small-town, Pennsylvania. He turns it into a “global village” that mesmerizes an audience worldwide. The low-independent film is written and directed by Greg Swartz and produced by Nate Barlow and Bob Adler. The Web Broadcast, a production on its own, is directed by Sven Pape and produced by Gerald Stetson. [www.hollywoodpa.com]
Story Synopsis
Armed only with his video camera and his battered dreams, Gordy Crbinak is returning home to Holly Ridge, PA, Population 8,812. Things didn’t work out for Gordy in Hollywood, but that won’t keep him from making movies. He’s moving back to his parents’ couch and is bringing a little movie magic with him.
Gordy keeps a daily video journal of his life and “rebirth” in Pennsylvania. Slowly, he realizes that a story begins to emerge from his life. He decides to find out just how interesting real life is. With the help of his friend, Ben, Gordy carries a video camera with him all the time, streaming his life experiences immediately onto the web site he has created.
Slowly but surely, Holly Ridge goes from being a sleepy little hollow in the Rustbelt to the town at the center of the Digital Map. People all over the world begin falling in love with the quirky locals while many web viewers actually think that the town is fictional.
Meanwhile, Gordy ’s efforts to create a film industry in Holly Ridge aren’t going so well. He goes from one embarrassing shoot to another -- raking leaves and delivering papers to make ends meet in between.
The townsfolk begin to realize just how lucrative Gordy ’s little web adventure is. People begin using Gordy just to promote their businesses. Tour buses arrive for package tours of the town. And Mandy, the young girl next door, starts raking in a fortune.
Gordy ’s “reality” is no longer real at all, but his struggle certainly is…
CAST
Gordy Crbinak……………………………………………………………………...Steve Seeber
Ben Whitman…………………………………………………………………………John Johnston
Mandy………………………………………………………...………….………………Amber Benson
Creative Team
Film Director/Writer….………………………………..…………………………..Greg Swartz
Film Producer……………………………………………………………………..………...Nate Barlow
Film Producer………….…………………………….…………………………..….……………Bob Adler
Web Director/Film Producer……………………...………………….…………….Sven Pape
Web Producer/Film Producer…………………………………..…………..….Gerald Stetson
Director of Photography…………………………..…………………………….Patrice Cochet
Co-Producer/2nd Unit DP……….………………………………………………...Brad Kenyon
Production Designer…………………….………………………...………...Kathy McPherson
Digital Effects Supervisor……………………………..……………………...Alfonse Palaima
Editor……………………………………………………………….……………………………………Sean Borjes
Associate Producer……………………………..…………………………………..Joe Vulopas
About the Cast
Stephen Mark Seeber
Playing “Gordy Crbinak”
On a hot summer day in 1982, 11-year-old Steve Seeber cut an old basketball in half in order to portray Telly Savalas in an 8mm film. Acting and writing has been Seeber's passion and primary occupation ever since.
Today, Steve’s acting credits reach far beyond backyard productions into radio, television and live theater. He is currently portraying Muff Potter in TOM SAWYER at the First Stage Theater. Other highlighted roles include Silas in LITTLE MEN, Alcoula in AMELIA BEDILIA, and Jeff Jefferson in JEFF (a horror movie about an obsessed Monopoly player whose obsession with the game drives him to murder all opponents). Along with Boardwalk and Park Place, Steve is the co-owner and founder of an independent video production company, Seeber & Feerrar Films.
John Johnston
Playing “Ben Whitman”
High in the Colorado Rockies, John began acting in the theater at age five. Eventually yearning to reach a larger audience than the average grizzly bear, mountain goat and occasional bald eagle, John attended Brown University, where he received his Bachelor of Arts Degree.
Mountain Man John then moved to the land of movie stars and sushi bars, to pursue his acting career. He is currently acting in the independent film, BARHOP, in New York City, and has recently completed a pilot for the Fox Network, FOX EXTREME WORLD. John has also been featured in the History Channel’s series on Amazon Women and, thankfully, has survived their male obliterating wrath.
About the Filmmakers/Webmakers
Greg W. Swartz
Writer/Film Director
At the age of six, while training to be a Jedi knight along with Luke Skywalker, tiny Greg Swartz was moved by the “force” into a passion for films. He later grew into an intense film junkie through his high school years. Greg then attended Millersville University in Pennsylvania and Caledonia University Glasgow in Scotland.
He went on to a reporting career at the Lancaster New Era, focusing on the arts and entertainment. Beyond journalism, Greg spent much of his time writing television pilots and screenplays.
In 1997, Greg moved to Los Angeles to devote his life solely to filmmaking. At present, he has penned five feature screenplays, produced his own original television pilot, and has made several experimental and short films. His most recent project was TAKE IT EASY, featuring Amber Benson (SFW, THE CRUSH, KING OF THE HILL), a short film he wrote and directed.
Nate Barlow
Film Producer
Nate is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, where he received a degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering and also took classes in acting and filmmaking. While working in Long Island, NY, as a design engineer at Symbol Technologies (where he became the company’s expert in display technologies), he decided that the latter areas of study would make for a more fun career. Shortly thereafter, he jammed his life into an old Corolla and made the cross-country trek to Los Angeles.
Nate produced the road movie TAKE IT EASY, defying nature by shooting in the California desert in the middle of August. He has also worked on more than 25 other projects as line producer, unit production manager, assistant director and various other positions in almost every department.
About the Filmmakers/Webmakers:
Bob Adler
Film Producer
Bob, a native of Chicago, is a veteran of a decade of commercial projects with clients such as Mazda, Honda and Mattel. He has spent most of his life in the entertainment industry, beginning in front of the audience and moving on to a complete range of positions behind the scenes.
His career has included experience in casting, choreography, directing, and learning the art of film & video production from the ground up. Bob brings a diversity of both experience and perspective that allows him to get the job done - around, over, under, or through any obstacle that comes in his way.
Sven Pape
Web Director/Film Producer
Sven Pape, born and raised in Germany, is happiest when making movies. While living in South Africa, at 17 Sven fell in love with the silver screen. Since then he has earned two master degrees in film from the American Film Institute and the University of Arts in Berlin. His AFI thesis film THE WATER GHOST, featuring underwater cinematography and starring Hiep Thi Le from Oliver Stone’s HEAVEN & EARTH earned him the Producer’s Guild of America Award for best student drama in 1999.
When Greg first told Sven about HOLLYWOOD, PA, he was most intrigued by the opportunity to engage an audience with the filmmaking process by having them virtually visit the set via live-web streaming. Sven has prior experience merging film and the web through his webpage, www.waterghost.org (which has several thousand hits per month).
Gerald Stetson
Web Producer/Film Producer
Gerald Stetson received a Business degree from the Brighton Technical College in Great Britain in 1980. He has spent nearly twenty years in sales and marketing, working internationally for
South Coast Fashion Agency, (London); Cartech (London); Timeout Magazine
(London); Image Marketing Ideas (Santa Monica, California); Fillright Japan Company, Ltd. (Tokyo); and Valley Moulding & Frame Co. (Los Angeles).