'Engaged': A Back Stage Success Story

A new short film from .31 Caliber productions features not one, not two, but three Back Stage actors.

Engaged stars Jannica Olin, Yoni Ben-Yehuda (pictured at right), and Arturo Castro in a story about a woman who receives a marriage proposal and figures out a way to decide whether or not she will accept -- on her terms. The drama includes a busboy trying to be king of the jungle, and it all adds up to hot sex in a mop closet.

Below, watch the film and read writer-director David Berman's thoughts on the production.

Engaged

Blog Stage: How did you cast this film?

David Berman: Back Stage really came through for us. We found two of three main characters from the submissions. In all honesty, agents could not have submitted better fits for the roles. We also were able to cast eager and reliable background actors, so I definitely will use Back Stage for my projects going forward.

Where did the idea for Engaged come from?

A few of us, looking to create work for ourselves, got together. We were looking to create a fun piece that was a little edgy, easy to follow, and involved minimal dialogue. We learned in the process that it's amazing how little we need to hear a character speak as we follow her journey.

As for the structure, I find myself drawn to stories that build to, then end at, the climax. I feel that, especially with short films, a "denoument" can be unnecessary. TV commercials, for example, often like to add that superfluous un-funny button. Engaged ends at the moment the primary dramatic question is answered.

How did you make the film on such a small budget?

My associate producer scored us a fantastic location (Mantra, a lounge located in the 50s in Manhattan), and friends volunteered to work as crew and fill in as extras; I'm an extra, too. The movie was made for a grand total of about $150, which basically paid for craft service, tapes, and a few props.

Everyone worked for free, the restaurant gave us the full run of the place -- including the chef jackets -- for nothing, members of the group cooked amazing meals, and thankfully, we didn't have to rent any equipment. [The lead actress] Jannica helped me wheel my bulky, awkward lighting kit the length of about seven avenues one day.

What else did you learn from making this film, and what are your goals moving forward?

First and foremost, its been a vehicle for members of my group to jump in and take on production roles with which they weren't familiar. Paul lit the film, and he has a wealth of experience in theatre lighting, but less experience as a gaffer. My production manager, Sri Gordon, an actress whose pet peeve is disorganization, got a chance to coordinate a film's execution. And I got to try something new: sound editing, which proved to be as fun as any part of putting a film together.

.31 Caliber eventually aims to produce a quality short film every 31 days, or so we hope. We're finding it's a work in progress -- the first piece was more like .155 caliber!

One element that excites me is that we're looking to take on concepts with challenges that would appear to be beyond our means. As unlikely as Engaged was to pull off (finding a restaurant that will close its doors for two days free of charge), now we've received some nice feedback and I can start submitting it to film festivals.

How is producing and directing your own low-budget film different from acting in one?

Having been an actor who submitted myself to projects in Back Stage, and now finding myself on the other end, my eyes have opened. I made so many mistakes back then when submitting myself to projects! Now I get to sort through the packages of so many talented actors, and make decisions about who I feel would be appropriate for roles in a film I'm producing.

* * * * *

.31 Caliber and Berman are about to start sorting through headshots and resumes for their next film, Red Light, which was also posted in Back Stage. Berman says that Red Light offers an even more daunting challenge than Engaged, but is excited to get behind the camera -- hopefully with a few more Back Stage actors in front of it again.

Did you submit your pix and resumes to casting notices for either Engaged or Red Light? Leave a comment and let us know!

Above photos: Writer/Director David Berman and actor Yoni Ben-Yehuda.

-- Daniel Lehman

Comments

[Actor & Observer]

How is this story news-worthy or blog-worthy? Your site specifically states that "Sri Gordon is the Assistant Casting Editor" at BACKSTAGE, so doing a piece on a film she production managed is blatant nepotism.

[Michelle Jaffe]

In any given month in New York, there are film productions that use much more than 3 actors cast from Backstage. This is nothing but a puff piece. Who did the director know at Backstage? And can anyone who works for Backstage get press for any of there hack friends?

What about journalistic integrity?

[Da Brat]

i sent my headshot for this and he (dave, the director) was a prick (and i know people who worked with him that say the same thing). he's phony and only nice to people if they can help HIM in some way. i ended up being contacted but never going. the film is just so-so, it's pretty cliche and doesn't break any new ground. he probly did this interview for an imdb credit, lol!

[Jealousy Police]

Da Brat -- You say this director "was a prick." How would you know? As you so eloquently stated, he contacted you and you didn't show up. Seems like you folks want to bring down others who are trying to get their work seen. I actually thought this film was pretty dam good... nepotism and all.

[Daniel Lehman]

I understand the criticism that this film was given special attention because of the director's connections to Back Stage. However, this blog post was designed simply to draw attention to the types of projects and opportunities being created by our Back Stage readers. 'Engaged' is, admittedly, only one of thousands of productions that cast Back Stage readers each year, and we invite you to let us know about more of them.

Here's another one: http://backstage.blogs.com/blogstage/2008/08/bronx-paradise.html

Simply email dan.lehman@backstage.com or visit www.backstage.com to tell us your stories. We can't report them if we don't know about them, but we'd love to be able to write about each and every one!

[Daniel Lehman]

Also, 'Engaged' gave us the unique opportunity here at Blog Stage to embed the video of the finished film, so readers can see for themselves what the director discusses in his Q&A. We encourage other filmmakers to provide links or embed codes for their films, as well, so that Blog Stage readers can enjoy not only coverage of Back Stage reader-produced films, but can watch them too!

[anonymous]

"...this film was given special attention because of the director's connections to Backstage"

you admit it yourself!

the right thing to do is delete it and feature a non-connected director's work in its place.

(that is, if Backstage truly is egalitarian in who they feature)

[Luke Crowe]

We respect everyone's opinion and appreciate your passion...

However, note that Back Stage covers thousands and thousands of projects every year in the form of articles, interviews, reviews, "Who Got the Part" columns, production listings, blog posts, and casting/job notices. We cover as many projects as possible each week, given the time we have available; and the project covered in this particular blog post is just one of many.

If there are other projects that you’d like to see us cover – from a traditional editorial standpoint or via our blog – please feel free to send leads, ideas, articles, review requests, and press releases to us at any time. We'll always seriously consider your submissions and thoughts.

The contact info for all of our departments is readily available here:

http://backstage.blogs.com/the411faq/contact_back_stage/index.html

Also note that Blog Stage is the Back Stage staff blog – a place where the Back Stage staff members (from the Casting and Editorial departments) write in their free time about things that they think will be of interest. It’s a semi-informal and hopefully fun area of Back Stage and not part of the more formal news/editorial/reviews sections of BackStage.com, which may approach topics in a different way.

So, specifically in regards to our blogging about the short film "Engaged" -- and the filmmakers behind the project -- we were not trying to create an annoying "puff piece" or "give special attention because of the director's connections" or "openly advertise that [the director’s] production manager is a current employee of Back Stage" inasmuch as we were writing about something we were interested in.

We revealed the fact of the Back Stage connection out of journalistic integrity – if we’d written about the project without revealing that there was a Back Stage-employee connected to the project, then that would not have been as honest.

But by revealing this fact, we felt that we were being upfront about any bias there might be in regards to the blog posting being created -- creating an open dialogue with our readers by sharing our connections' insights with you.

Tons of noteworthy publications -- such as the New York Times, Time, Newsweek, and Vanity Fair -- have been known to highlight the work of their employees via news blurbs, interviews, blog posts, house ads, and book excerpts. This is not an unusual practice.

In conclusion: This article did not take away from giving publicity to any other worthy projects or filmmakers – if we hadn’t blogged about “Engaged” on this day there would have simply been one less blog post, and posting less content would certainly not benefit our readers.

"Engaged" is a project that ran a casting notice in Back Stage, cast Back Stage's readers without bias, and happened to end up having a Back Stage Casting Department team member working on its crew -- a fact that shows the trustworthiness of the project and the filmmakers' dedication to Back Stage's readers.

We'd like to thank director David Berman for casting some of Back Stage's readers in his short film and for allowing us to interview him for this informative blog post.

Sincerely,

-- Luke Crowe
National Casting Editor
Back Stage

[i_tell_it_like_it_is]

Sounds shady to me.

[ooh_babybaby]

Da Brat posted on another board that the director is the boyfriend of the Backstage employee. IF that's true, they probably SHOULDN'T have run it./

[Shut UP already]

GUYS. WHO CARES? YOU ALL NEED TO RELAX. IT'S A POSTING OF A SHORT FILM. LET THE FILMMAKERS ENJOY IT, STOP COMPLAINING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT HAS ABSOLUTELY NO EFFECT ON YOU, AND GET ON WITH YOUR LIVES.

[Shut UP already]

Yeah, ooh_baby, i agree. I move to ask Hollywood to recall films like "Lost in Translation," and anything involving Keifer Sutherland, Michael Douglas, Jamie Lee Curtis, or Charlie Sheen, because, clearly, they wouldn't have gotten their big breaks had they not known someone who got them in the door. While we're at it, we should take a closer look at the election of George W. Bush, and, of course, the entire movement of the Divine Right of Kings. Knowing the monarchy was passed down from generation to generation is unacceptable. In truth, I think the precedent for this latest Backstage injustice was established when the Lord spoke to Moses... I mean, just because they shared a few words doesn't make it right that no one else got a shot to read the 10 Commandments. So, yes, I say we need to take a stand somewhere, and I see no better candidate than this non-union film posting, which has received dozens of views.

[All That Glitters Is Not Gold]

To ooh_babybaby:
If that is true, then someone needs to let BACKSTAGE know.
They are probably totally unaware that a person on their staff is using her position to promote her boyfriend's film.

(And it's unfair to other filmakers out there -- myself included -- trying to get their work seen if Backstage staff can get their friends' projects covered like *just like that*.)

[Jealousy Police]

LOL.

"Shut UP already" -- that was classic. Although, naturally, the election of George W. Bush really SHOULD be questioned.

[All That Glitters Is Not Gold]

Shut UP already, where does it say how many views the film has received?

[Jealousy Police]

All that glitters is not gold,

Backstage seems to be aware that people are upset about the posting. Obviously, you haven't read the letter above.

I'm all for squashing injustice, but, really, why is it a big deal if someone used a little leverage to help out a friend? Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to planet earth, where, if you don't know anyone, you ain't gettin' anywhere.

More importantly, as the Backstage rep wrote above, did the blog writer turn down promoting anyone else's movie to give this one a plug? Was their a contest that I, also a filmmaker, didn't know about? If there was, please let all of us know. Otherwise, honestly, all this bitching and moaning that I'm reading seems entirely pointless.

Again, I think the movie is pretty good, and believe me, this director ain't my boyfriend. So, rather than complain and envy a filmmaker because he scored a posting on Backstage -- which, all due respect to Backstage, I hope isn't the highlight of his career -- watch and enjoy...

[Jealousy Police]

All that glitters is not gold,

Backstage seems to be aware that people are upset about the posting. Obviously, you haven't read the letter above.

I'm all for squashing injustice, but, really, why is it a big deal if someone used a little leverage to help out a friend? Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to planet earth, where, if you don't know anyone, you ain't gettin' anywhere.

More importantly, as the Backstage rep wrote above, did the blog writer turn down promoting anyone else's movie to give this one a plug? Was their a contest that I, also a filmmaker, didn't know about? If there was, please let all of us know. Otherwise, honestly, all this bitching and moaning that I'm reading seems entirely pointless.

Again, I think the movie is pretty good, and believe me, this director ain't my boyfriend. So, rather than complain and envy a filmmaker because he scored a posting on Backstage -- which, all due respect to Backstage, I hope isn't the highlight of his career -- watch and enjoy...

[Shut UP already]

I have no idea... and why do you care? My point is that this ain't the freakin' home page of yahoo.com. So peeps need to chill.

JPolice -- I agree. Bush was a bad example. I guess Hillary would have been a better example, but she lost.

[MickeyGG]

I wrote a letter to Backstage asking for heads to roll over this bullsh*t. How dare a Backstage employee have a boyfriend.

Good film.

[nowhere]

the film's mediocre ... all the more reason to question why it was featured...

[nowhere]

p.s. perhaps the individuals posting in defense of the film and of the employee are none other but the filmmakers and the employee. that would be tragically amusing.

[Daniel Lehman]

Guys, I understand the criticism, and the feeling that filmmakers with special connections should not be given precedence over other less connected, but equally talented, artists.

But again, 'Engaged' was not featured instead of something else. We encourage EVERYONE to share their projects, news, opinions, and goings-on with us.

The point of Blog Stage, and this blog post in particular, is to spotlight news, interviews, projects, events, and other interesting items that might not fit into the more formal official Back Stage publication. We hope you will all keep reading Blog Stage, and will even submit your own story ideas (by leaving a comment or sending an email) so that we can cover as many Back Stage reader-produced work as possible.

The point is to inspire others to go out and do this type of work, and to let us know when Back Stage helped in some way -- not to inspire jealousy or harsh words.

http://backstage.blogs.com/blogstage/2008/07/howcast-ranked.html

http://backstage.blogs.com/blogstage/2008/08/bronx-paradise.html

This is only the beginning.

[Nicole]

Daniel,
I strongly disagree that the piece has inspired jealousy. Instead, the respondents have expressed righteous indignation at the favoritism shown by "Backstage". Actors are one of the most vulnerable and maligned groups, and "Backstage" is supposed to be a voice for us, NOT for the employees of "Backstage"!
What's so hard to understand about this?

[SBento99]

Why everyone trippin? This movie sucks!

[Dave]

Dan and bloggers,

I am the director of "Engaged." First and foremost, thanks, Dan, for deciding to include my film in your blog. I'm sorry to see that your decision has generated such a negative response.

Here are the facts as far as I'm aware, for all of those who truly are curious:

1) The Backstage employee who served as my production manager had absolutely nothing to do with the decision to include my film in this blog. As any production team member would do, she forwarded the piece to friends, family, and colleagues. One of those colleagues, obviously enough, works for the same company, which, obviously enough, is connected to journalism, and he decided to report on it. Sure, it's an unfortunate connection in the eyes of many, but, trust me, as grateful as I am to Dan for taking the time to interview me and feature "engaged," pursuing Backstage Magazine to run an interview about my film never crossed my mind. And, trust me, it never crossed my production manager's mind either. I can promise you that. This posting has generated some terrific and constructive feedback from observers of the film who aren't concerned about the politics behind its posting. Other than that, I can't say I understand what the noise is about. I didn't win a contest to land here, and, as Dan and Luke graciously explained above, my movie wasn't drawn from any pool of submissions. If anything, filmmakers should be happy that they've discovered a new forum for displaying their work, because my best guess is that a line hasn't started yet.

If you disagree with the content of the article, or feel the film doesn't deserve the attention it's received, then you're entitled to your opinion. But if your disagreement about the blog and/or content is connected to any theory consisting of my production manager's successful attempt to put my movie ahead of a pack by exploiting her position, then my advice to you is to take a step back, put down the bucket and take a good, long look at the sandbox.

2) In response to the criticism about the movie, and one or two "personal" attacks on me that, oddly enough, have appeared above, I welcome any and all constructive criticism. Please email me at: davidberman24@yahoo.com and fire away.

And please pass along a link to your work, because, as a filmmaker, I'm always looking for ways to improve my craft.

Thanks,

Dave